Adventure tourism inquiry announced

A letter from a grieving father has sparked a Government investigation into adventure tourism industry safety standards.

Prime Minister John Key said the letter from the father of drowned English tourist Emily Jordan had urged him to look at better regulating the sector.

Ms Jordan, 21, drowned in Central Otago's Kawarau River in April last year 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.

Mr Key said he believed most in the sector operated well, but there were concerns that there were some cowboys and that safety standards were not being monitored.

The investigation would involve a number of departments and ministers would report on the state of the sector and whether any changes would be needed.

"Tourism is critically important to New Zealand and we must do all we can to ensure visitor safety," Mr Key said.

Ms Jordan's father, Chris, said in the letter that safety investigators only looked into problems after accidents.

Mr Key said Ms Jordan's death was not the only fatality in recent years and while most tourists had a safe and exhilarating experience, he could not ignore the concerns raised.

Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson would lead the investigation.

Officials would look at where accidents and fatalities had occurred and see if there was a common theme or whether they related to a particular operator or segments of the industry.

If the investigation found safety levels were not being met, changes would be made.

It was possible the investigation could lead to some operations being closed down, but the first action would be to find out whether appropriate safety standards had been set and whether they were being met, Mr Key said.

Adventure tourism did have an element of risk and those who enjoyed such activities should be aware of that.

"It is my general view that the industry is safe. A lot of people come here and engage in forms of adventure tourism and there are always risks involved," he said.

"It is also important they are afforded the protection and care we would expect to take place and in the case of one or two of these incidences I am just not absolutely satisfied that has been the case."

Mr Key did not believe setting up an investigation into safety standards in the sector would create bad publicity.

- NZPA