Economists keep fingers crossed for Dan Carter
The biggest economic risk to the Rugby World Cup would be an injury to key player Dan Carter, MPs were told.
The biggest economic risk to the Rugby World Cup would be an injury to key player Dan Carter, MPs were told yesterday.
Ministry of Economic Development head David Smol was questioned about the biggest risks to the tournament at Parliament's commerce select committee, to which he quipped: "If Dan Carter gets injured."
But the real risk would be not be the All Blacks' performance, but New Zealand's ability to seize the opportunities, according to New Zealand 2011 director Leon Grice.
"I think that we're in good shape overall. I think the risk is we don't take the full opportunity -- that's probably the thing that worries me most," he said.
Mr Grice said there would be about 200 showcase events throughout the country to capitalise on the tournament.
The types of visitors expected to flock to New Zealand were an "unusual" group due to their relative wealth, he said
"They tend to be owners of businesses and senior executives of businesses around the world," he said.
"They're high-spending tourists who tend to be ... very seriously connected businesspeople in their own networks."
The average length of stay would be 23 days, a figure which was skewed downwards by Australian fans coming for shorter trips.
About half the visitors would come before the tournament, and 30 percent would stay on afterwards, Mr Grice said.
NZPA
Fri, 10 Jun 2011
Fri, 10 Jun 2011
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Economists keep fingers crossed for Dan Carter
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