Attack on tourists bad for business
The Press reports that an unprovoked attack on a group of tourists in central Christchurch, NZ over the weekend could tarnish the city’s reputation with tourists, the city’s deputy mayor says.
Norm Withers said he was “deeply hurt and saddened” to hear about the attack by five men on a group of English and Danish tourists in Cashel Mall at 1am on Saturday.
The attack was apparently sparked by nothing more than their accents.
Six of the eight tourists were taken to Christchurch Hospital, including two with knife wounds.
One tourist remained in hospital in a stable condition last night and was expected to be released today.
Withers said the city stood to lose if the perception spread overseas that it was unsafe, particularly at night.
“The next thing we’ll get tourist agencies recommending to bypass Christchurch and that’s the worst thing that can happen,” Withers said.
“People deserve to feel safe in our city and, as usual, it’s a small minority that spoil it for the rest of us and I’m fed up with it.”
One of the English tourists injured in the Cashel Mall attack, Daniel Sheehan, said he and a group of friends were having a last night out together in New Zealand before going their separate ways.
He said one of his friends was approached by five young men as they walked through Cashel Mall on their way to Oxford Terrace.
Sheehan said his friend fell to the ground and he went to help but was attacked himself.
He later said the men attacked them after saying, “They speak funny, they speak funny, they sound funny”.
His friend, who remained in hospital, had planned to travel to Bali yesterday.
He may now have to stay in Christchurch another fortnight, he said.
Sheehan suffered injuries to his ear, cheek and fingers.
His parents flew in from England to be with him yesterday because their son had been traumatised by the attack.
Detective Sergeant John Gallagher said the tourists were victims of an “unprovoked and cowardly” attack.
The offenders were believed to be in their late teens and early twenties.
Withers said Christchurch police did a “top job” but there needed to be a greater police presence on the streets at night.
By : The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025