New Zealand prime minister John Key has insisted the country’s adventure tourism sector is safe despite criticisms from families of tourists who have died in adventure-related accidents.
Addressing media at TRENZ today, Key offered his condolences to the family of 24-year-old British tourist Bradley Coker who died when a skydiving plane crashed at Fox Glacier in 2010.
A report into the crash, which killed nine people, was released yesterday and blamed the condition of the aircraft.
The father of a woman who died in a boating accident also said the industry is not properly regulated.
But Key said comments contained in an Internet campaign launched by the father of Bradley that NZ was “not safe”, were untrue.
“My fundamental view is that the industry is safe and for the most part it was safe,” he said, “The vast bulk of operators have been safe and operating safely for a long period of time.”
Changes which now require compulsory registration of operators were about “eliminating one or two rogues that tarnished the whole industry,” he said.
While adventure activities always carry a degree of risk, it was imperative that “our companies operate at world’s best standard”, Key explained.
New Zealand tourism is safe: Key
