Adventure tourism inquiry due for release

A report on the state of New Zealand's adventure tourism industry is in the hands of Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson and its findings should be released publicly within a month.

The review was sparked by a letter sent to Prime Minister John Key by the father of drowned English tourist Emily Jordan.

Jordan, 21, drowned in Central Otago's Kawarau River in April 2008 after being trapped underwater for 20 minutes while riverboarding.

Queenstown's Mad Dog River Boarding was fined $66,000 and ordered to pay $80,000 in reparation to the Jordan family after admitting two Health and Safety in Employment Act charges.

Jordan's death was one of a spate of tourist fatalities in the past couple of years, including tourists who died while jetboating and quad biking.

Her father urged Key, who is also Tourism Minister, to look at better regulating the adventure tourism sector.

Wilkinson said today she would consider the findings of the Labour Department report before taking any recommendations to Cabinet for discussion.

At the time the review was announced she said she wanted the sector to retain its "dynamism" but also ensure the best safety practices were in place.

- NZPA