Ashburton in New Zealand’s South Island suffered little impact from the earthquakes that hit Christchurch this year but its location in the mid-Canterbury region has nevertheless made some people nervous about visiting, according to tourism marketing chiefs.
Bookings for the ski season out of Australia have been soft so far, but they are expected to gather pace with late bookings, according to Nigel Birt, general manager of Experience Mid Canterbury Tourism.
“Numbers are expected to improve once we launch a campaign to coincide with the snow arriving,†said Birt.
“It’s important for visitors to know that we were not affected by the earthquakes and all our tourism facilities are operating as normal.â€
Methven Mt Hutt, one hour from Christchurch, remains one of New Zealand’s top ski and snowboard destinations.
The high country is also a popular summer destination for recreational hunting, hot air ballooning and heli flights into the high country wilderness.
Christchurch, the gateway to the South Island, is linked to Kuala Lumpur by direct AirAsia X flights.
