Mauritius 'in mourning' over Michaela murder
The killing of Michaela McAreavey has left the whole nation of Mauritius in mourning, tourism authorities said today.
However the death should be seen as an isolated incident, Jo Hartley from the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority said.
She added the tourism industry was vital to the island nation’s economy.
Mauritius is in an idyllic position in the Indian Ocean off the southern African coast and draws thousands of honeymooners and holidaymakers from Ireland and the UK every year.
Ms Hartley said: “This is the first time this has occurred. We are trying to reassure people that it is not something that happens on a daily basis.”
“The whole nation has gone into mourning because it is so shocking for them.”
Mauritius has been a major attraction for tourists, with miles of golden sand, turquoise waves, clusters of shady coconut trees and tropical temperatures.
Ms Hartley said she could not remember a similar incident before. She added Mauritius was not poverty-stricken, with local people employed in the resort hotels as cooks and waiters.
“They try to keep an economy where local people can benefit as well. None of the beaches are private so locals can enjoy the coastline as much as the hotel guests,” she added.
“It is not one of those segregated places, people tend to have a sense of harmony and to interact well.”
Mauritius is an ethnic melting pot, formerly ruled by the Dutch, French and British, and full of descendants of the European powers, African creoles, Indian labourers and Chinese traders.
A spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said the killing of Ms McAreavey was being viewed as an isolated incident.
“I think it is very important that the Mauritian authorities take very swift action, which they have done,” he said.
“People need to be reassured that they will be safe and that is exactly what we have seen, that should reassure people this is very much an isolated incident.”
Neither the Irish nor the British governments have put any warnings about visits to the island on its travel advice website relating to the killing.
