Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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NZ Herald The number of foreigners visiting
the region where two tourists have been sexually assaulted in the past 16
months has plummeted. Statistics New Zealand figures
show the number of international visitors staying in Northland in January
fell by 16 per cent from the same month last year, four times the national
average. On Wednesday a 27-year-old English
woman was sexually assaulted at Haruru Falls, near Paihia, in the Bay of
Islands. In November 2006, a Dutch couple
fell victim to a horrifying kidnapping. But the region's tourism chief
said there was no relationship between the highly publicised attacks and the
fall in the number of international guests. Destination Northland chief executive
Brian Roberts said the decline was more likely due to a fall in the number of
British and American tourists. "The overall New Zealand
figures have been buoyed by Chinese visitors, but most Chinese don't come to
Northland," he said. Tourism New Zealand chief
executive George Hickton said attacks on tourists tended to be isolated,
"but we still don't want to let our guard down". The Statistics New Zealand figures
show the decline has not been restricted to Northland. Other attacks on tourists have
included the killing of Scottish backpacker Karen Aim at Taupo in January,
the rape of a German woman at Raglan last year, and the bashing of Canadian
man Jeremie Kawerninski in Wellington in 2006. In the North Island, only Auckland
and Bay of Plenty managed increases in total guest nights from international
tourists in January. Tourism Industry Association chief
executive Fiona Luhrs said it was unlikely the attacks would have affected
the North Island figures. Haruru Falls Motor Inn manager Kevin Small said it
was still "business as usual" after Wednesday's incident. A Paihia police spokeswoman said
there had been no major developments in the hunt for the attacker, described
as European, aged in his 30s, with dark brown hair. He carried a backpack,
wore a large ring on his right hand, spoke with an American accent and was
barefoot at the time of the attack. |