Violence may have sullied N.Z. image

Press, 10 December 1984, Page 4

Violence may have sullied N.Z. image

By

LES BLOXHAM,

travel editor

New Zealand’s international image as a safe and peaceful destination for tourists was probably tarnished by overseas press coverage of the Queen Street riot. Two of the country’s important markets, Japan and the United States, are particularly sensitive to outbreaks of internal strife. Even out-of-character brief periods of turmoil,

such as the hotel workers’, clash with police in Tahiti earlier this year, can trigger a downturn in tourist numbers. World-wide publicity given to the Springbok rugby tour riots in New Zealand three years ago is known to have turned some visitors away. Asked by “The Press” if he was concerned about possible damage done by Friday’s riot to New Zealand’s longstanding reputa-

tion, the Minister of Tourism, Mr Moore, said last evening that he felt there would be no long-term adverse reaction. “But this was not the real New Zealand — it was somewhere else,” he said. “The truth is that New Zealand lost its innocence on Friday night.” Mr Moore said it was now important for the world to know that the riot was something out of the ordinary.