Review of adventure tourism welcomed

Adventure tourism operators in the Nelson region welcome a government review of their industry, saying it will help to raise safety and operating standards.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday announced a wide-ranging review of risk management and safety practices in the adventure tourism sector, which is now a $20 billion industry in New Zealand, and growing.

The review has been prompted by several incidents which have struck the industry recently. Last month, Queenstown company Mad Dog River Boarding was fined $66,000 and ordered to pay $80,000 reparation to the family of English tourist Emily Jordan, who drowned beneath a rock in the Kawarau River while on a trip with the operator in April last year.

Ms Jordan's father Chris Jordan spoke out against the adventure tourism sector, saying stronger safety standards were needed.

Motueka based Skydive Abel Tasman sales and marketing manager Lisa Chambers said today the company welcomed a review, because it was a good way for the sector to "take a good, hard look at itself".

It would also help to expose areas which needed improvement.

"Raising safety operating standards can only be a good thing. People see New Zealand as an adventure tourism place, and we need to be responsible operators," Ms Chambers said.

Nelson Paragliding owner Stew Karstens said a review would not change much in the way his company operated, as it was already subject to strict auditing requirements by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Mr Karstens felt problems were more likely to occur in areas where greater volumes of tourists were pushed through activities. Then, mistakes were more likely to occur.

Murchison-based whitewater rafting company Ultimate Descents New Zealand owner/operator Tim Marshall said he did not see a problem with a review of the industry and river operators in particular as the rafting industry was regulated in 1999, which meant operators were surveyed annually.

"I see this as a good thing, to make sure we are all up to standard," Mr Marshall said.

He said there was always room for improvement and to be looking for better standards in training, operations and management.

Ms Jordan's death came within a fortnight of an accident on a canyoning trip in the Mangatepopo Stream in Tongariro National Park that claimed the lives of six Elim College, Auckland, students and their teacher.

In March this year, Christchurch woman Catherine Peters died after she fell from a rope swing on to rocks after jumping from the Ballance Bridge, near Palmerston North.

Adventure company director Alistair McWhannell has been committed to stand trial on a manslaughter charge. The Crown alleges he failed to take adequate steps to ensure his operation was safe.

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson will head the investigation into safety practices involving tourism operators, the Civil Aviation Authority, Maritime New Zealand and the Ministry of Tourism.

Mr Key, who is also minister of tourism, said the review would consider whether accidents were related to particular operators or areas of the sector, or whether there were any common themes.

He said any unsafe operators uncovered during the review would be shut down.

Tourism Industry Association advocacy manager Geoff Ensor saidNew Zealand's adventure tourism industry was strong and had been built up over a long period, "but complacency is not an option".

He said that while the industry could not guarantee risk-free adventure, it could promise it had done all that was fair and reasonable to protect tourists' safety. "Our view is even one death is too many."

Speaking from his home in England last night, Mr Jordan welcomed the review. "It's early days, so we'll have to wait and see what comes from this, but nevertheless it's a very good start."

- With Fairfax

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