No one likes having their dirty laundry aired in public, but that's what it's come to for two towns on the West Coast.
Fox Glacier and Haast, two towns in south Westland, are looking for a new linen provider after the company that's serviced them for the past few years has pulled out.
Wānaka-based Mainland Linen has covered the area since 2016. But they said that in the past few years, economic factors, COVID-19, transporting the linen from its Dunedin processing plant, and significant weather events affecting roads have made south Westland no longer viable.
"We'll all have to supply our own linen, basically, which is a logistical nightmare," said Andy Hodges, owner of Rainforest Motel Fox Glacier.
Bookings are finally starting to bounce back after COVID-19, but now they've been left with a stain on their tourism resurgence.
"We've got the internationals coming back fully, the Chinese market open, so the bookings are looking very strong," Hodges said.
Demand is there, but clean sheets aren't.
"We certainly wouldn't want to see people turning customers away because of this issue because that will impact on other tour operators," said Heath Milne, CEO of Development West Coast.
But it's not as simple as doing their own washing.
"These huge commercial laundries have big pressing and ironing machines which we could not replicate in a small family-run motel," Hodges said.
Mainland Linen said Development West Coast wouldn't help them because they aren't a West Coast business.
Local businesses hope someone snaps up the opportunity to supply them with linen.
"It's one of the major tourist areas of New Zealand, so for the right operator it is a viable business," Hodges said.
"There's potentially a lot of business there for someone," added Tom Syben, owner of Bella Vista Fox Glacier.
But until someone comes along, a heavier load will be on accommodation providers.
