Former San Francisco Mayor enjoyed time out on Akaroa Harbour
Monday 23 May 2011, 5:04PM
By enthuse
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After walking through the earthquake-shattered heart of Christchurch last week, former San Francisco mayor Art Agnos took time out do a cruise yesterday on Akaroa Harbour with Black Cat Cruises.
He said last week that the city was far more heavily damaged than his home city was when its earthquake struck in October 1989.
He was mayor at the time and has been in Christchurch to advise New Zealand authorities on recovery plans and pitfalls. Agnos was shown through the Red Zone last week by Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker, a fenced off no-go area that takes up much of the city centre, and spoke at the TEDxEQ ChCh earthquake conference on Saturday.
Black Cat Cruises Managing Director Paul Bingham hosted Agnos and his wife Sherri on the cruise and said the former mayor enjoyed taking time out to enjoy the beauty and scenery that Akaroa and Banks Peninsula offered.
“He really enjoyed the day that was a real contrast to what he has seen and experienced while here. It was a picture perfect day out on the cruise and we saw loads of wildlife and hector dolphins.”
Agnos said Christchurch residents could take heart from the fact that San Francisco recovered completely but he warned that took many years.
Bingham stressed that regions outside of Christchurch were completely untouched by the earthquakes and that is was vital to the recovery effort that visitors understood this and still came to Canterbury.
“It is very important that domestic and international visitors realise that Canterbury is open for business and that Christchurch still has an important ‘gateway’ role while recovery proceeds.”
“The region of Canterbury has some great options for visitors; for example Akaroa offers relaxing restaurants, great cafes, sailing, cruising on the harbour and swimming with the rare Hector dolphins.”
He said that Black Cat Cruises was being as proactive as possible and was spending money to ensure the right messages were getting out.
This activity included a recent off shore sales trip with Tourism New Zealand to Kiwi Link North America, and attending TRENZ, the largest annual international tourism trade event held in New Zealand, this week in Queenstown.