A lack of both snow and visitors on Mt Ruapehu's ski fields has led to more than 100 job losses and the closure of the Tūroa ski field until further notice.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts - RAL - runs operations on the mountain and chief executive Jono Dean says about a third of its 405 staff on the mountain had lost their jobs this week.

This would translate to about 135 job losses.

RAL, a not-for-profit organisation which runs operations at Tūroa and Whakapapa, has been in financial difficulty for some time and today's developments follow on from a Stuff article last week that said a lack of snow on the central plateau had led to one of the worst ski seasons in decades.

With fewer facilities operational, 'the ski area management teams have had to rationalise efforts heading into the second half of our winter season,” Ruapehu Alpine Lifts chief executive Jono Dean says. Photo: Tom Lee/Stuff.

The tops of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro had a good dumping of snow at the start of the season, but since then the slopes have been almost bare, with the downturn in visitors creating problems for a wide range of local businesses.

Dean says with fewer facilities operational, 'the ski area management teams have had to rationalise efforts heading into the second half of our winter season”.

'This review has, unfortunately, impacted our people.

'In the next week, we will say goodbye to around a third of our total team of 405 people, with the largest impact seen at Tūroa.”

A Stuff report from August last year revealed not-for-profit RAL was seeking to change its ownership structure and bring corporate investors on board for the first time to keep the loss-making operation afloat.

A shareholder update in February 2021 indicated RAL was seeking to raise $30 million of new equity capital, which corresponded to a 50 per cent shareholding, with nine parties expressing interest.

Minister of Tourism Stuart Nash has also been approached for comment, as has Ruapehu mayor Don Cameron.

Horizons regional councillor for Ruapehu Weston Kirton, a former district mayor, says he felt for those affected.

The community generally understood though that "without snow you don't have a business".

Kirton says it would be important for the regional council to help maintain confidence in affected areas by assisting where it could.

He says he would raise the situation with the regional council by next week at the latest to see what it could do to help.

"I may do that sooner rather than later."

Kirton says the scale of business at Ruapehu meant the situation was a regional issue, not just a local one for the district.

More to come.

Matthew Martin and Stephen Ward/Stuff