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West Coast tourism operators say lack of communication from the New Zealand Transport Agency about travel on State Highway 6 is costing businesses visitors and bookings.
The road was closed on August 28 during a significant winter storm. A few days later, it partially opened for three daily escorted convoys as work continued to repair the damage from slips, rockfalls and inundation.
The highway is a link from the West Coast to Lake Hāwea and Wānaka and remains legally closed. Motorists are escorted through the affected area in three daily convoys, depending on the weather.
Google Maps has been directing all travellers on a nine-hour detour from Franz Joseph to Wānaka.
Franz Josef Wilderness Tours owner Dale Burrows said bookings were down about 40% compared with the same time last year, and visitors were cancelling because they believed the highway was impassable.
Burrows said the road was open without convoys at weekends, but this was not being clearly communicated by NZTA.
"There's just a real lack of communication from NZTA, but also Google and Apple Maps and all of those outfits are pulling data from who knows where and putting it online with no update as to where it's coming from or how you can actually update it with the correct information.
There was also a longer-term impact on the West Coast's reputation, he believed, with some travel agents, tour groups and buses choosing not to include the region in their itineraries due concerns about the roads.
NZTA Lower South Island area manager Chris Harris said because the highway was legally closed, it needed to show as closed on its journey planner.
Third-party mapping platforms such as Google Maps drew on various sources of information and might not always provide a full picture, he said.
ESCORTED CONVOY TIMES
SH6 will reopen daily for three convoys, dependent on weather.
Southbound convoys leave from Makarora Village at 7.15am, 12.45pm, 6.15pm and northbound from Isthmus Peak car park at 8am, 12pm and 5.30pm.