Gregor Paul: It's a very tough call but it has to be made

A dust bowl forms around AMI Stadium following the devastating Christchurch earthquake. Photo / Dean Purcell

The people of Christchurch have suffered enough - they now need the World Cup organisers to be decisive and state sooner rather than later whether the tournament can go ahead there.

A full report on AMI Stadium is expected tomorrow and if the prognosis is favourable, if it can host games, then the procrastination has to end.

A decision on Christchurch's World Cup future has to be made quickly, preferably by the end of this week.

It's not just the locals who need clarity - the international market is becoming increasingly anxious to hear something definitive. Tour operators, like circling aircraft, can stay in a holding pattern for only so long.

The overseas market has bought tickets, booked accommodation and made commitments.

To keep telling them nothing, runs the risk of cancellations.

The competing teams, too, need to know - not so much where they are playing, but where it would make sense to set up base camp.

Deciding whether to keep games in Christchurch is not a complex decision, it is a hard decision.

Information will become available to determine the viability of the logistics. There will either be enough accommodation or there won't. It will either be possible to get people to the stadium or it won't. There will either be enough facilities - restaurants, cafes, pubs etc to entertain people - or there won't.

The facts will be cold, hard and clinical. The challenge for everyone involved is to keep emotion and sentiment out of the decision-making.

On an emotional level, Christchurch's case for inclusion could not be more compelling. But two key points have to be kept at the forefront of everyone's mind.

Firstly, the tournament is not owned by either New Zealand 2011 Ltd or the New Zealand Government. They are in a partnership with the International Rugby Board who own the World Cup. The World Cup is the one shot the IRB has to make money and finance the growth of the game.

While the last two weeks have been harrowing for New Zealanders, the Christchurch earthquake is a national, not an international tragedy. The rest of the world can sympathise, offer its condolences, but they shouldn't be expected to contribute to the rebuilding.

Hosting World Cup games would bring enormous economic and emotional benefit to Christchurch, but would it provide overseas visitors with the experience for which they will be paying top dollar?

Most of the rugby community who travel globally to follow games are retired, high-net worth, former corporate types who want the four- or five-star package and all the convenience and comfort that offers. Will they be happy to be in Christchurch given the damage? Will they be comfortable if they are offered alternative accommodation in Auckland and then told they will be able to fly up and down on the day of the games?

This brings up the second point that can't be lost: the World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime tourism opportunity for New Zealand. An estimated 85,000 overseas visitors are coming and they have the potential to return home and sell New Zealand to millions of others.

The tourism boom could last for decades - but only if the World Cup experience captures the imagination.

In time, when Christchurch rises, new and improved, it will again be the gateway to the South Island - a critical collector of tourism dollars.

It may seem contradictory, but it's a fair argument to suggest the best way to secure the long-term future of Christchurch, from a tourism perspective at least, is to keep the World Cup away.