By Tova O’Brien
It is New Zealand’s worst ecological disaster and the fallout has been broadcast around the world.
But for some Bay of Plenty businesses it is not the oil itself but simply the idea of it which is causing the most stress.
White Island is New Zealand’s only active marine volcano. It is a tourism hotspot and the heart of Jenny Tait's business.
“We bring tourists from all over the world to visit this volcano.”
Her and her husband Peter started taking tour groups to the island 21 years ago - six people a day back then, now it can top 200.
And if oil does come ashore at Whakatane beach it would set them right back.
“It would definitely have serious consequences for the business, but let's just wait and see.”
But while they wait the world watches.
One tourist, Michael Marinovich, says he heard a bit about it on the news and had wanted to do the tour for some time, “and I was pretty worried about it”.
There are fears that if those concerns are not set straight then tourists will be driven away.
This is a peak tourism time in New Zealand; the cruise ship season has just begun and the Rugby World Cup is really heating up, so businesses are trying to get the message out that although this is a massive disaster, for many it is business as usual.
“We had a phone call from Germany yesterday asking ‘shall we still visit New Zealand?’ We said ‘well, it's only a small part of New Zealand, and yes still come to New Zealand’,” says Ms Tait.
A small part of a small country but one which relies heavily on its bubbling tourism industry
3 News