Welcome mat for stay-at-home holidaymakers

By JO-MARIE BROWN

Tourists worldwide are rushing to cancel their holiday plans after the terrorist attacks on the United States, but New Zealand could benefit from the fallout.

While hotel and tour bookings for Americans have fallen as much as 50 per cent since the attacks on September 11, tourism operators believe the country will pick up extra business as people look for safe destinations and New Zealanders decide to holiday at home.

A regional blow was felt yesterday when 900 passengers in French Polynesia were stranded after Florida-based leisure cruise operator Renaissance Cruises collapsed.

Arrangements are being made to get passengers home.

Destination Queenstown chief executive David Kennedy said a pattern of arrivals to New Zealand was yet to emerge, but during the Gulf War in 1991 more Asian and European tourists visited.

"Tourism New Zealand research proves people come to this area of the world in search of scenery, adventure, tranquillity and peace.

"This will be truer now than ever before," he said.

The terrorist attacks and the Ansett Australia/Air New Zealand crisis have contributed to a short-term fall in bookings, with the Tourism Action Group yesterday predicting a 10 per cent drop in international visitor numbers for the last quarter of the year.

That means 59,000 fewer people will visit New Zealand.

Asian travel agents had reported a high number of cancellations to the United States and say travellers might divert to New Zealand and Australia.

With more than 193,000 Americans visiting New Zealand annually, the US was our third-largest tourist market, worth $821 million last year.

Tourism Rotorua international marketing manager Mike Gibbons said the local industry was in a strong position given the present global tensions.

"When things offshore happen like this, certainly there's a hesitation and a 'stay-put' factor as far as Kiwis go, and that generally gives us quite a good boost."

Mr Gibbons said tour groups in Japan who were originally bound for the United States were contemplating heading Down Under.

Rotorua Hotel Managers Association chairman Tracey Thomas confirmed the international turmoil had brought some cancellations, with bookings from American tourists down 50 per cent.

"They're still coming through but not at the levels you'd expect at this time of year," he said.

"If things do go belly-up we're going to have to concentrate further on our domestic market."

Full coverage: Terror in America

Pictures: Day 1 | Day 2 | Brooklyn Bridge live webcam

Video

The fatal flights

Emergency telephone numbers:

United Airlines: 0168 1800 932 8555

American Airlines: 0168 1800 245 0999

NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 0800 872 111

US Embassy in Wellington (recorded info): 04 472 2068