Off- road walking has been outlawed. Outsiders are staying away. And that is taking its toll on entire regions where people like hoteliers, shopkeepers and suppliers depend on visitors for their livelihoods. It's affecting the whole rural infrastructure. It's only a matter of weeks before some small retailers go bust.
Many hotels are all but empty.
The companies that supply them with beer, milk and eggs are losing orders. The roads are eerily free of tourists' cars and delivery vans. Some stores offer discounts on goods like parkas and fleeces. Farmers are canceling equipment orders, and employees in the tourism business are being laid off. Now we have one, on a three-day week.