The Queenstown Lakes District Council last month advised the 125-year-old bridge would remain closed to all vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians until further notice due to its risk of failing.
A Stantec New Zealand engineering report, released at the time, noted the wires in the cables used to support the bridge were damaged.
The report said any attempt to determine its load capacity could lead to the bridge’s catastrophic collapse.
David Gatward-Ferguson, who, together with his wife Amanda, owned Nomad Safaris for 28 years before selling up last year, said by closing off access to Skippers — once a bustling gold mining town — "you’re chopping a limb off tourism".
"Skippers itself and Mount Aurum Station and that whole area is part of the reason people come here — to be able to deliver that pioneer experience in areas like this is pretty unique."
Mr Gatward-Ferguson said Skippers tours started after the narrow road was completed in the 1890s, "and has been a basis of tourism to the South Island since".
"That’s where Nomad started [in 1988] and that was our roots.
"All our staff loved doing the Skippers trips because there were so many great stories — it’s the essence of the European history of New Zealand."
His company diversified into lucrative The Lord of the Rings tours — much of which involved the Glenorchy/Paradise area — but Skippers still made up about 15% of its revenue.
"It’s not insignificant, and it actually represented a far higher raison d’etre for our existence."
As for fixing the bridge, "I think it’s fundamental it’s repaired in an appropriate timeframe, i.e. the next 12 months, so everyone can plan, because world tourism works on long horizons".
The future of the bridge is due to be decided by councillors through the annual planning process. Community consultation on the draft plan is expected to begin next month.
