Five years on from the major February earthquakes that destroyed vast swathes of the New Zealand city of Christchurch, its mayor says the city has come a long way, but still has a way to go.
Tourism numbers to Christchurch are growing, with the city having recovered 46% of the international visitor numbers lost as a result of the earthquake. A “record” summer is underway at Christchurch Airport, with a 16% increase in passenger numbers which is expected to top 20% this month. The airport will service close to 6.4 million passengers this year, up from 5.9 million last year – the most passengers it has ever handled in a single year.
Meanwhile total holiday arrivals for 2015 were up 10% on the previous year, totalling 270,448.
Mayor Lianne Dalziel described Christchurch as the “pivotal point” of the South Island and highlighted its connections to the rest of the world.
“It’s the South Island that has iconic tourist images and scenery,” she said.
“Christchurch is an international gateway to the rest of the south”.
Dalziel confirmed that the city’s insurance has been settled and highlighted a number of key reopenings such as the council-operated Art Gallery which reopened in late December and the Margaret Mahy playground.
“Last year ended on a bit of a high point really,” she said. “There’s just a real sense of momentum”.
“Even through we’ve been through some difficult times, I’m seeing huge potential, and that’s the sort of thing that’s going to make the city special.”
Christchurch has undergone a massive transformation since 22 February 2011 with its evolution ongoing.
Five years on, the city has reinvented itself as a place full of creative personalities, innovative projects, state of the art architecture, and a booming hospitality scene.
The investment in new infrastructure and earthquake strengthening has paid off for Christchurch. A series of aftershocks earlier this month shook the city psychologically, but little damage was reported.
The Governor-General, Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae and Lady Janine Mateparae will attend a civic memorial service in Christchurch to “offer support and encouragement for the future”.
The service will start at midday on Monday 22 February at the Botanic Gardens Archery Lawn and include a minute’s silence at the time of the earthquake – 12.51pm.
“This is an important event for the Christchurch community to reflect on what happened the day of the earthquake but also look at how far we’ve come,” Dalziel said.
