Christchurch earthquake update
08 Sep 2010
Christchurch’s tourism community is working together to make sure guests are well looked after as the city recovers slowly from a major earthquake which hit on Saturday morning.
No other areas of New Zealand or the South Island are affected by the earthquake.
Christchurch International Airport, car hire and campervan companies are all up and running. Train and road routes in and out of the city are open and services running.
Areas around central Christchurch including Hanmer Springs, Akaroa, Kaikoura and the local ski fields are unaffected, as is much of the Canterbury region.
Tourism services
New Zealand’s high levels of earthquake preparedness and strong infrastructure had seen essential services quickly restored to most of the affected area, Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler said.
"Most tourism operators in the Christchurch region are open, but visitors are advised to contact their travel agents or accommodation providers before arriving in the city," Bowler said.
Those transiting through Christchurch to other regions will be unaffected.
Non-essential travel
As Christchurch city settles back to normal life, Civil Defence has recommended that to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on infrastructure, non-essential travel to the city over the coming week should be postponed.
Travellers who have bookings for travel to Christchurch and Canterbury are advised to keep their bookings, and maintain regular contact with their travel providers for the latest updates.
Daily updates provided by Christchurch and Canterbury tourism operators are available at:
Tourism / official updates
Regular tourism updates are available on:
Official earthquake updates:
Background: Christchurch earthquake
On Saturday, 4 September, at 4.35am (NZ time), Christchurch (population: 340,000) was hit by a strong earthquake - the biggest in New Zealand since 1931.
There were no fatalities, and only two serious injuries were reported. However, there has been wide spread damage to buildings and infrastructure.
A state of emergency will remain in place until midday Wednesday, 15 September in the interest of public safety. This allows for buildings and other infrastructure to be assessed.
New Zealand’s high level of earthquake preparedness and strong infrastructure have seen essential services quickly restored to most of the affected area.
More information
Christchurch earthquake aftermath
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