Christchurch residents seem to have moved on from the 2011 earthquake, even if tourismand EQC are still lagging behind.

The tenth Canterbury Wellbeing Survey suggests life has settled into a 'new normal'. For the third time in a row, 82 per cent of Greater Christchurch residents rate their quality of life as good or extremely good.

However, there are still one in six that say the quake and it's ongoing impact are still affecting their health and well being.

The survey shows around 30 per cent of responders are still frustrated about living in a damaged environment and being surrounded by construction works.

People with unresolved insurance or EQC claims, and those on low incomes, who rent, or have a health condition or disability, are more likely to be stressed, and have a lower quality of life.

The release of the survey comes a day after briefings to the new Christchurch Regeneration Minister showed the number of international arrivals at the airport is two-thirds of what it was pre-quake.

The biggest decrease is from the Japanese; there are 70 per cent fewer Japanese visitors arriving in Christchurch than their were in June 2010.

ChristchurchNZ CEO Joanna Norris says overall they're focusing on attracting the right visitors to the region at the right time.

"We're being really strategic in terms of the market that we work really heavily in to make sure we are getting the biggest bang for our buck."

Norris said even in a non-quake environment, cities will see a change in their visitor-mix over time.

"Yes, the Japanese market has declined and it is now of less importance to us than China. But then there has been a corresponding growth in the Chinese market."

The briefings also showed that EQC has received 591 litigation cases.

EQC Fix says the number of litigation cases against EQC show the commission is assessing earthquake damaged houses incorrectly to save money.

Government papers released yesterday also showed that the EQC has received 591 litigation cases, 334 of which were closed by the end of September.

The figures also showed that the country's emergency fund could run out over the Christchurch and Kaikoura quake repair bills, and may take about 30 years to replenish the fund.

EQC Fix spokeswoman Mel Bourke said there have been policies used within EQC that have been specifically geared to reduce the cost to the fund.

"So these cases and litigation that we're seeing are where people are saying 'Hold on, ACC assessors, you've got this wrong. The Act says you've got to assess my home and the repair to this particularly standard, whereas your scope is actually lower'."

Bourke said EQC has been badly managed,

"One of the things that we would like to see done is change in legislation to guard against political interference in the Natural Disaster Fund. We have to view that as our nest egg."

Bourke said we also need to look at the reinstatement standard of the fund so New Zealanders know the level of protection they will get.