Christchurch hospitality industry rues RWC loss
Earthquake-devastated Christchurch will miss out on its share of 85,000 visitors and NZ$1 billion flowing into the country as a result of the decision to move Rugby World Cup (RWC) matches from the city.
The two quarter-final games allocated to Christchurch will now be played in Auckland.
This is likely to cause a major headache for organisers, airlines and hotels as supporters with tickets for matches in Christchurch must now attempt to reorganise flights and accommodation.
Christchurch Motel Association president Mike Brown said the decision to take the games from Christchurch was “devastating”.
“A lot of money will have to be returned. That (the cup) was the last thing left that we could have hung on to,” he said.
Hospitality Association of New Zealand chief executive Bruce Robertson said the games would have been an excellent opportunity to show the world that Christchurch and Canterbury were “open for business”.
Organisers said they hoped to keep the five former Christchurch pool matches in the South Island, with Dunedin, Nelson and Invercargill possibly picking up games.
Prime Minister John Key said Christchurch’s AMI Stadium was in a dismal state after last month’s quake and repairing the turf alone would have taken six months.
He said there was structural damage to the stands, and the city did not have enough serviceable accommodation to manage the 35,000 foreign visitors expected for the top games.
Ian Jarrett
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