Adventure Tourism Operator, Experience Co., Inks Cross-Tasman Deal with IBIS Technology

by June 08, 2020

In a signal of confidence in the post COVID-19 recovery of the tourism sector, Experience Co. Ltd (ASX:Exp) announced today it has selected Queenstown-based IBIS Technology as its tourism business systems software provider for the company’s skydiving operations in both New Zealand and Australia.

The new relationship marks IBIS Technology’s first major reservations, operations and e-commerce software customer overseas.

Experience Co. is New Zealand and Australia’s leading Skydive operator with three skydiving businesses in NZ’s Southern Lakes region, including the world renowned NZONE Skydive, Skydive Southern Alps and Skydive Wanaka.

The company also offers tandem skydiving in 13 locations in Australia and several marine based operations in Far North Queensland.

John O’Sullivan, CEO of publicly-traded Experience Co seeks to ensure the company emerges from COVID-19 stronger than ever.

“Now is the time to reconsider how we are operating our businesses to both streamline operations and improve the holistic experience of the customer with our brands,” he said.

“After a thorough review of tourism business operations systems available in our markets, we chose IBIS because of its integrated ‘whole business’ functionality and 22 years of committed customer support. The IBIS team has deep knowledge of the skydiving and tourism industry and they’re very passionate about that. I look forward to working together as partners with IBIS to help us rebuild New Zealand and Australian adventure tourism in a way that strengthens both our business and the customer experience.”

Founder and CTO of IBIS Erik Bradshaw commented, “We’re excited about the opportunity to work with the brilliant team at Experience Co., both here in NZ and as one of Australia’s largest tourism businesses.”

Bradshaw continued, “IT systems are a mission-critical part of our customers’ success. Recognising this, IBIS has taken a financially conservative approach to managing our own business so that we can be a solid partner to Experience Co. and other customers in these challenging times.

Coming out of the COVID-19 crisis, our goal is to provide tourism and leisure operators the flexibility and tools to respond nimbly to changes in market conditions, from unexpected downturns to re-thinking pricing, scheduling, product offerings and partners.”

Experience Co. will implement IBIS systems this winter, giving staff time to ‘settle in’ before the tourism visitor numbers begin to climb to their new normal.

IBIS Technology has been designing tourism business management solutions for the New Zealand tourism industry since 1998.

Fully NZ-owned and operated, the company has grown from its early start in reservations software to offering an integrated platform for online and direct reservations, admissions, point-of-sale, e-commerce, accounts management and reporting for tourism and leisure businesses large and small.

As the leading tourism business management software company in New Zealand, IBIS focuses on partnering with its clients to ensure that its software and services add value, improving both business and customer experience results.

Experience Co. is an adventure tourism company founded in 1999 in Wollongong, New South Wales, with the vision of now becoming the largest and most respected adventure tourism company in the world.

In Australia, Experience Co. owns and operates Skydive Australia along with several marine and tour businesses operating in Far North Queensland, while in New Zealand they run NZONE Skydive, Skydive Wanaka and Skydive Southern Alps.

 

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‘Koha for kiwi’ – Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park appeals for visitors

by May 28, 2020

‘Koha for kiwi’ – Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park appeals for visitors

Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park usually attracts thousands of visitors every year, and is recognised nationwide for its conservation success stories.

And now it needs New Zealand’s help.

After 34 years of operation, and with the same family at the helm, its international visitor numbers have dried up. Like many others it is targeting its domestic and local markets with great deals and packages to help keep the doors open and wildlife programmes running.

And for the month of June it’s launching an innovative ‘Koha for kiwi’ programme to help raise awareness and keep the wolf from the door.

The Kiwi Birdlife Park is a national treasure — it holds and displays over 23 species of native wildlife as part of nationally-managed programmes, takes part in a number of breed-for-release programmes, and has planted over 18,000 native plants providing essential food and shelter to wild native birds.

Park owner and director Paul Wilson says he is “painfully aware” that tourist numbers will be “very, very low” in the coming months.

“While it’s scary to open the gates for koha donations only in June, we recognise that we need to raise awareness of who we are and what we do with New Zealanders who’re being encouraged to explore their own backyard. We have a product that we are very proud of and this is a great opportunity to share it with as many Kiwis as possible.

“We’re not a government funded facility and are completely reliant on visitors and souvenir sales to fund our conservation efforts, while providing the highest level of care for our endangered native wildlife.

“A few months ago we completed a $1million state-of-the-art new kiwi house but partially because of the Covid situation we’re struggling to get the revenue we need to pay for a significant part of the building cost.

“We visited every kiwi house in the country to make sure we built the best, and now have the largest kiwidisplay house of any Park in the country. Four of our kiwi are scheduled to be released into the wild over the next few months, but we keep some breeding pairs to add to this vital programme.”

The park is the first New Zealand facility accredited by Australasia’s Zoo and Aquarium Association for providing ‘positive animal welfare’.

KIWI BIRDLIFE PARK HISTORY

Nearly forty years ago, a Queenstown-based garage owner had an unlikely ‘vision’ – to build the resort town’s first birdlife and conservation park on an overgrown piece of wasteland.

Invercargill-born Dick Wilson and his wife Noeleen moved to Queenstown in the 1950s and opened their first garage and shop in Frankton. Twenty years later, Dick, a remarkable visionary, realised customers were asking where they could see New Zealand’s famous icon the kiwi.

An animal lover who was passionate about nature and native wildlife, he knew a piece of land was being used as a dumping site for old cars and rubbish on the edge of town. He applied to the Lake County Council to lease the land and was granted the lease for the land and use of a natural spring in the early 1980s. He was 57 years old when his dream project was given the green light.

After removing several tonnes of rubbish, fencing the entire area, clearing 2m-high blackberry and broom canes, building ponds and removing about  100 huge pine trees, Dick and son Paul built aviaries, the first Kiwi house and a ticket office, planting 10,000 native trees.

They contacted the New Zealand Wildlife Service (now Department of Conservation) to see how they could go about sourcing some birds, and two long and hard years later officially opened for business on January 13th1986. The park is still owned by Paul Wilson and his wife Sandra.

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Local Charities set to benefit from Rotary Relationship

by May 13, 2020

Local Charities set to benefit from Rotary Relationship

Four local charities are set to benefit from the Rotary Club of Queenstown’s relationship with the New Zealand Open which was held earlier this year.

For the 101st New Zealand Open held in late February this year, the Rotary Club of Queenstown stepped up their involvement with the tournament to manage car parking across both Millbrook Resort and The Hills for all four days of the tournament.

In return, the tournament donated the proceeds from the Car Parking to the Rotary Club to distribute amongst the local community.

Tournament Chairman John Hart couldn’t be more pleased to see the money collected will be going to help locals in the Queenstown and Central Otago region.

“We love working with the Rotary Club of Queenstown, they are a great group of volunteers to donate their time to help others”

“We were more than happy to extend our relationship with the Rotary Club and give them an opportunity to raise funds for these local charities” said Hart.

The Rotary Club of Queenstown has earmarked the funds raised from the 2020 New Zealand Open to be distributed between the Rural Education Activities Programme, Queenstown Harvest Gardens, Hospice Southland – Queenstown Palliative Nurse and the Wakatipu Youth Trust.

Chris Taylor, Club Secretary of the Rotary Club of Queenstown believes that the New Zealand Open is a huge asset to the local community and loves being apart of the international event.

“Apart from generating business locally, for both small and large business operators, it generates a significant sense of community spirit as evidenced by the large number of locals who give their time voluntarily to assist with the events success”

“Queenstown Rotary Club members make up only a small part of the tournaments volunteer army which help provide a significant opportunity to market Queenstown and its environment internationally” said Taylor.

The Rotary Internationals motto is “Service Above Self”.  Its members gain satisfaction from serving their community in areas where it is needed most. In doing so, they develop a spirit of camaraderie and comradeship which permeates the club.

“The symbiotic relationship between the New Zealand Open and the Rotary Club of Queenstown provides the tournament with assistance while at the same time the Rotary Club is assisted in achieving its objectives in providing both financial and physical assistance to the community where it is most needed“ said Taylor.

The intention is for funds raised at the 2020 New Zealand Open is to assist less advantaged individuals/groups in the local Wakatipu community. More information on the local charities who are set to benefit from this year’s tournament as well as the Rotary Club of Queenstown can be found below.

Rotary Club of Queenstown: queenstownrotary.co.nz
Rural Education Activities Programme:  southernreap.co.nz
Queenstown Harvest Gardens: harvestgardens.nz
Hospice Southland – Queenstown Palliative Nurse: hospicesouthland.org.nz
Wakatipu Youth Trust: wakatipuyouthtrust.co.nz

 

CONTACT: Mike Hadnett – [email protected] +64275493222

Follow the New Zealand Open:

nzopen.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

About the 102nd New Zealand Open

The tournament is one of New Zealand’s leading sporting events with a long and prestigious history. It was founded in 1907 and will be played for the 102nd time between 25 and 28 March 2021.

The tournament is a co-sanctioned event on the PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour schedules and also has a partnership agreement with the Japan Golf Tour

A professional field of 152 players will play the first two rounds alternately at Millbrook Resort and The Hills before the second round cut of 60 plus ties. The final two rounds will be played at Millbrook.

The New Zealand Open Champion will be the leading player after 72 holes of strokeplay

The tournament also hosts 152 amateur players, each partnering with a Professional in a two-man best-ball event, competing for the NZ Pro-Am Championship.

About the PGA Tour of Australasia

As one of the leading Professional golf tours worldwide, the PGA Tour of Australasia is the elite tournament destination for Professional golf in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

All tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia carry Official World Golf Ranking points. The PGA of Australia sanctions around 300 tournaments across the Australasia region offering a total prize pool in excess of AU $12 million.

The PGA Tour of Australasia is a founding member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The International Federation is responsible for generating funds for the worldwide development and expansion of the game and the management and sanctioning of prestigious tournaments including the World Golf Championships and the World Cup of Golf.

Also, visit us at: pga.org.au | Facebook | Twitter

 About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of professional golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game.

The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. The Tour is officially recognised by the Official World Golf Rankings and provides its events with valuable ranking points for participants to be recognised on the world stage.

Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), Titleist (Official Web Partner), FootJoy (Supplier), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore, Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur. The Tour is an affiliate of The R&A.

Also, visit us at: asiantour.com | Facebook | Twitter

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Queenstown Excited To Welcome Visitors Again

by May 12, 2020

Queenstown Excited To Welcome Visitors Again

In two recent NZ polls Queenstown has ranked the first choice of destination Kiwis are planning to visit once travel restrictions lift. It’s a great acknowledgement from people across New Zealand that Queenstown is an inspirational destination that they are keen to visit again.

The announcement yesterday that NZ will move to Alert Level 2 on Thursday has been met with delight in Queenstown, with operators in the Southern Hemisphere’s premier holiday destination excited to welcome visitors again and get back to business.

Regional tourism organisation, Destination Queenstown, says the announcement is hugely important and provides a pathway to recovery for tourism operators moving into the vital winter season.

Destination Queenstown interim CEO, Ann Lockhart, says tourism operators are keen to get back to doing what they do best – inviting visitors to share our culture and spectacular part of the country.

“The announcement today will provide some relief for businesses in Queenstown following many weeks of uncertainty. Tourism operators will now be looking at how the rules apply to them, how they can safely operate under alert level 2 and making any adaptations to do so. While this isn’t a total panacea it is a good step in the right direction. DQ will be working with businesses this week to understand their plans and identify any support they may need access to,’’ Ms Lockhart said.

“We are certain that our world leading tourism operators are well equipped to meet requirements to deliver great experiences, in a safe environment. We are excited our ski fields are able to operate, our hospitality sector will be looking forward to serving visitors again soon, and many of our activities will be able to make the guidelines work.”

The return of commercial air services to Queenstown will also go a long way toward getting the Queenstown community back on its feet.

Destination Queenstown (DQ) has developed a framework of marketing activity in response to Covid-19. The approach has three stages; local, regional and domestic and aims to tell our story from the inside out, celebrating our culture and our diversity.

The first campaign, #WeAreQueenstown, launched two weeks ago has centred on the local community. The marketing campaign not only encourages support for local businesses, but aims to inspire community spirit and pride, reminding locals why they choose to call Queenstown home.

DQ began ramping up winter marketing activity last week, following announcement of the inclusion of domestic travel in level 2. This will culminate with the launch of a new winter marketing campaign, targeting the domestic market, on 1 June. The campaign will be a celebration of being back in the outdoors, exploring, discovering and spending time with friends – some true Kiwi favourites.

DQ is also underway with research to get a wider understanding of the domestic market. The work will provide insights to both inform DQ marketing investment and activity but also to deliver key insights for DQ members.

Ms Lockhart says the RTO is keen to unlock the lockdown wanderlust and invite New Zealanders to enjoy our great outdoors, our vibrant town, exceptional dining and iconic activities.

“Queenstown’s world-class activities and outstanding natural beauty have earned Queenstown a collection of accolades over the years and now is the perfect time for Kiwis to experience why.”

New Zealanders have always played an important role in Queenstown’s visitation. Kiwis coming to Queenstown have historically made up a third of all visitors.

This was created by Destination Queenstown and first published on Scoop.

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Media Training Key To Successful Communications

by May 11, 2020

Media Training Key To Successful Communications

By Fiona Woodham

Business leaders right now are finding themselves in the spotlight, often (especially if they’re in tourism) in the tricky position of having to rationalise or justify business closures or staff redundancies.

If they’re a business entrepreneur, start-up or have successfully ‘pivoted’ their business to provide goods or services that people need or want right now, it’s a golden opportunity to build or enhance their personal or business brand.

The team at Southern PR’s known for its comprehensive Media Training, based on over 25 years in the PR industry in NZ and over a decade in journalism for national UK & NZ newspapers.

So – media interviews can be intense. But if you’re prepared, keep calm and have some key ‘pivot’ techniques in your pocket, you’ll be ready for whatever comes your way.

  • DO YOUR HOMEWORK – Know what you want to say, why and how. Work out your key messages, and practice saying them out loud. Believe me, it helps.
  • RELAX – Take a deep breath, drink a glass of water before you start. Think about what you’re wearing, how you look, and what’s in the background. Put your best face forward.
  • THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK – Don’t be rushed, take a second to pause before answering a question. Keep responses short, on topic and you’re less likely to get ‘lost’ (and lose your listener in the process). Talk in soundbites.
  • TALK LIKE A POLITICIAN – Hmmm, maybe some more than others! If you’re asked a question that’s going off topic, is challenging, or going down a route you don’t want to go down, use the bridging technique. For example:  “I don’t have those specific details, what I can say is…” and get back on message.
  • CORRECT YOURSELF – Sometimes something comes out of your mouth and you know straight away it’s not right. Never be afraid to say “I’m sorry, can I correct that?”
  • CORRECT THE INTERVIEWER – if they get something wrong, be firm but clear. Use a bridging technique to get back on message such as: “That’s not correct, the facts are…”
  • DON’T REPEAT NEGATIVES – a common enough mistake. For example, if a question asks if your company is lying, don’t repeat the word “lying” in your response unless you want it to be part of your soundbite. Start with: “The facts are…” then transition to your message.
  • HIGHLIGHT YOUR KEY MESSAGE – literally. You get full attention when you say something like “The key thing here is…”
  • SPEAK UP AND SHUT UP – Do not, what ever you do, fill in the silence between questions. Invariably this will end up being the headline, the moment at which you lost the plot and said something that wandered off topic. Answer the question, keep on message, wait for the next question. Easy.

If you’d like to know more or enquire about full media training and PR services, email [email protected]

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From fire to water – Tekapo Springs celebrates 12th anniversary with community event and Australian bushfire family offer 

by May 04, 2020

From fire to water – Tekapo Springs celebrates 12th anniversary with community event and Australian bushfire family offer 

A multi-award-winning Tekapo tourism operation business is celebrating 12 years in business with the launch of new attractions and a very special Australian bushfire relief package.

The horror stories that came out of the bushfire tragedy prompted Tekapo Springs to reach out to an Australian family that’s ‘lost everything’ with a collaborative package to take them from the fire-ravaged region to the peace and tranquillity of Tekapo.

The family has yet to be told, but their dream holiday will include return flights to Christchurch with Air New Zealand, a five-night accommodation package including Accor Hotels’ Peppers Bluewater hotel in Tekapo and a rental car from Thrifty.

Tekapo Springs has donated the return flights and activities at their complex, including the hot pools, day spa treatments and a tour with Tekapo Star Gazing.

Tekapo Jet, Mackenzie Alpine Horse Trekking, Christchurch Adventure Park, Christchurch Tramway Restaurant, Hassle Free Tours – Christchurch Hop On Hop Off Tour, KJet Queenstown and Ziptrek Ecotours have also offered activities.

Tekapo Springs’ sales and marketing manager Andy Murray says they’re “thrilled” with the response so far.

“We’re celebrating 12 years of having built a fantastic business in Tekapo so thought it was time to give back to our local and wider community,” he says.

“We know after having talked to Australian visitors who’ve lived through the fires just how much they appreciate getting away from it all, so we came up with this gorgeous family package. Along with the other businesses that have given so generously, we can’t wait to host them.”

The Australian relief package was announced this week as Tekapo Springs officially launched its fun new summer activities, the Jumpernaut and Aqua Drop waterslide.

Tekapo Springs was founded by Karl Burtscher, who still owns the company. It developed over the years to become a multi-award-winning, world-renowned and year-round tourism attraction featuring three hot pools, two cooler pools and an aqua play area, a day spa, a café and bar, steam and sauna rooms, unique stargazing products, and an ice rink and snow tube park.

It operates 364 days a year, employs up to 50 people and welcomes around 150,000 people a year.

“I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved,” says Karl. “We’ve had an awesome summer as domestic tourism in New Zealand has been really strong, so we celebrated by having some fun, acknowledging our 12thbirthday milestone and giving back in the best way we can to our friends in Australia who’re having a hard time.”

Karl thanked the Albury Ice Hockey Club (now called Mackenzie Ice Hockey Club) as without their support and allowing the sale of the land, the Tekapo Springs complex of today would not exist.

“I also want to say a huge ‘thank you’ the local Tekapo and the wider Mackenzie community as without their support this would not have been possible,” he says.

Mackenzie district Mayor Graham Smith attended the birthday celebration along with Canterbury Cricket stars Chad Bowes and Cam Fletcher. The Mayor got into the spirit of things by racing the young cricketers on the Jumpernaut followed by a speed trial on the Aqua Drop, where speeds of 41km per hour were reached.

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The lights have been dimmed on Queenstown’s LUMA 

by May 04, 2020

The lights have been dimmed on Queenstown’s LUMA 

The lights have been dimmed on Queenstown’s award-winning sensory experience LUMA.

Scheduled to return to the Queenstown Gardens for its fifth year of illuminated art, sculpture and performance on Queen’s Birthday Weekend, the LUMA team has made the heartbreaking decision to pull the plug on this year’s event.

The group of passionate individuals which make up the LUMA Light Festival Trust have spent the past ten months dreaming, planning, scheming and preparing for Queenstown’s award-winning arts and culture event.

LUMA Trust chairman Duncan Forsyth said they had been “crossing our fingers” that LUMA20 would be able to defy the Covid-19 odds and bring a ray of bright, colourful light to the start of June.

“Today the LUMA Light Festival Trust made the difficult decision to cancel for 2020 and focus our energy on looking after each other, our whanau, our businesses and the wider Queenstown community,” he said.

“This will enable us to return brighter than ever in 2021. It’s a huge blow to our family of artists, partners, fellow instigators and funders. We’d like to take this chance to sincerely thank everyone who’s been part of the LUMA story so far.

“This is the beginning of the next chapter and we aim to begin working on LUMA21 as soon as the time feels right for us and the wider community.”

Duncan said discussions were already underway with major funders to agree on a rollover plan for 2021.

“The government’s decision to impose restrictions on incoming visitors and more recently, to discourage large gatherings, is the right one and we fully support it. Every effort must be made to slow down the spread of the virus and give our health system a chance to minimise harm to all New Zealanders.

“We’re fortunate to live in a community which knows how to look after people and it’s our shared responsibility to care for one another and above all stay safe.”

For further media information or high res images please contact:
Mandy Cooper
E: [email protected]
M: 0273377907

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Fixed or variable commercial rent – cool heads called for

by May 04, 2020

Fixed or variable commercial rent – cool heads called for

As thousands of businesses enter uncharted waters post Covid-19, one of New Zealand’s most experienced property, tourism, hospitality, and business experts is calling for cool heads over coming months.

Adrian Chisholm, founder of New Zealand-wide business TourismProperties.com, says landlords and businesses need to work together in good faith to help stem the tide of closures and redundancies.

Advocating some “good old-fashioned common sense and sensible solutions”, the Queenstown-based businessman is speaking from 45 years of previous ownership of a wide range of tourism businesses and as a former landlord and tenant.

But currently without a foot in either camp, his independent ‘helicopter view’ of current woes advocates that commercial landlords and tenants may need to accept that rent is no longer a fixed but a variable cost for the foreseeable future.

“They need to accept they’re ‘joined at the hip’ and allow common sense to prevail,” he says. “In my opinion the solution is to adopt a Variable Rent Programme (VRP).

“Within 72 hours, tourism-related businesses went from being on steroids to full cardiac arrest. For commercial tenants, strangled by rental obligations in an environment where there’s no income, the outcome is obvious and disastrous.

“On the face of it the landlord may be protected by rental obligations and personal guarantees in leases, but in fact there’s little immunity from current business risk.

“Without a tenant paying rent or outgoings to cover rates and insurance premiums, there’s significant income disruption and potentially a prolonged period of vacancy.”

Adrian says landlords should be under no illusion that if good tenants fall over, there’s no queue of prospective occupiers, resulting in illiquidity and value erosion to the market value of the property.

“There’s merit in the argument that some rent is better than losing a good tenant and the prospect of no rent at all, and other options include Government-sanctioned bank loans which require approved cashflow statements and business plans which are currently nearly impossible to establish.

“What’s required is an open book process where the tenant pays an adjusting percentage rent to turnover.”

Adrian says this works by the business’s actual percentage turnover being confirmed at the end of each calendar month, perhaps by an accountant, and that proportion applies as the adjusted rent payable for the following month.

“This continues until the tenant gets back to the prescribed rent in the current lease. It’s a process that’s well advanced in Australia,” says Adrian.

The transparent process of the “open book” rental calculation being certified could potentially be done using the free services of the Regional Business Partner Network.

Adrian says that historically, market rents for accommodation, hospitality and retail tenancies were firstly assessed by direct comparison ($/sqm or $/room) but they also needed to fit within a framework of perceived affordability.

“What that means is that rents also needed to represent an acceptable percentage of turnover or net income. Ultimately a prudent tenant will only offer a rental that is deemed to be sustainable and a landlord will accept this necessity if they wish to lease the premises.”

Accommodation rents generally equate to around 22% – 28% of expected turnover, food and beverage/hospitality business rents generally equate to 6 – 8%, and retail percentage turnover rents vary widely, depending on the business sector.

Most current leases have a ‘ratchet clause’ that holds rent at a certain level and may need to be restructured to provide an acceptable level of certainty and confidence for both parties to remain committed and further invest in the premises.

“The ratchet clause is a draconian blunt instrument that should be history,” says Adrian. “Some landlords are putting their heads in the sand if they think otherwise while tenants aren’t sleeping at night if they’ve got this hanging over them.

“Another consideration is whether the landlord has enough protection from losses. Where the business is insolvent, the guarantor is insolvent and there’s little goodwill in the business. Then the landlord and the lessee are truly joined at the hip because both are facing losses.

“If the lessee and guarantor are sound and the lease has value (such as a good motel), then landlords can happily dig their heels in and expect full payment. There’s little financial motivation to make concessions.

“We also need to separate lessees who have a cash flow problem against lessees with a viability problem. Cash flow problems can be solved by deferrals, but viability problems call for agreed reductions.”

For a full outline of the issues and solutions go to: https://www.tourismproperties.co.nz/variable-rent-programme-vrp/

For further information:
Adrian Chisholm
Director, Tourism Property Brokers Limited t/a TourismProperties.com
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 021727888

 

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Stars of golf, cricket and rugby to shine at free Queenstown community event

by February 17, 2020

Stars of golf, cricket and rugby to shine at free Queenstown community event

A star-studded team featuring legends of golf, rugby and cricket will line up against some of Queenstown’s best cricketers as a curtain raiser for this year’s 101st New Zealand Open.

The free community event kicks off at 4.30pm on Sunday February 23 at the Millbrook Cricket Ground near Arrowtown, with families and sports lovers encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy the atmosphere.

Held for the second year running and sponsored by Rebel Sport, sports ambassadors in Queenstown for the 101st New Zealand Open who will swap golf clubs for cricket bat or ball include Beauden Barrett, Israel Dagg, Stephen Fleming, Jeff Wilson, Chris Harris, Matt Guyatt and Peter O’Malley.

International cricket umpire and former New Zealand cricketer Chris Gaffeney is also picking up the bat again for the celebrity hit-out.

For the first time a handful of young up and coming Wakatipu High School cricketers get to play their heroes in the Queenstown All Stars team.

They include former All Black Justin Marshall’s cricketer son Lachlan and students Seth Mawhinney, Angus Herron, Gabe White and Jordan Gibbons, alongside six other players from the local T20 league.

Sir Ian ‘Beefy’ Botham, one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history, and injured local golfer Ben Campbell will be coaches and non-playing captains, while the formidable brothers’ duo Glenn (cricket) and Greg (golf) Turner will umpire.

The match will be a T10 format with10 overs a side and is expected to last about two hours, come rain or shine. It will be MC’d by local sports personality and radio presenter Craig ‘Ferg’ Ferguson.

Rebel Sport will help keep it fun with activations and giveaways on the day.

The 101st New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport, will be held at Millbrook Resort and The Hills from 27 February to 1 March 2020.

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Sudima Hotels to Open New Property in Queenstown’s Five Mile Precinct

by February 17, 2020

Sudima Hotels to Open New Property in Queenstown’s Five Mile Precinct

One of New Zealand’s most sought-after tourism and leisure hotspots is getting a brand-new hotel to meet increasing demand for high quality accommodation in Queenstown.

The 4.5-star hotel at Queenstown’s popular Five Mile precinct, set to open in the 2021-22 summer season, will operate as Sudima Queenstown and add to Sudima Hotels’ current portfolio of four hotels (Auckland Airport, Rotorua, Christchurch City and Christchurch Airport) and two more due to open in 2020-21, Auckland City and Kaikōura.

The property is owned by Clearmont Group, developer of the mixed-use Five Mile retail and business centre. Director Craig Greenwood says that after over four years in the planning they’re “delighted” construction has started on the signature four-storey ‘Armadillo’ building which completes the entrance to the Five Mile centre.

“In choosing a hotel operator we felt we needed a brand which delivered a quality experience at an affordable price, and we believe Sudima Hotels fulfils these brand values,” he says. “The hotel will also have a conference centre, meeting a need identified by our business customers, and there will be a further 2700m2 of retail on the ground floor.”

The building was designed by Queenstown’s JCY Architects director Richard Chambers and his team, inspired by the rugged geological strata of the area and developed in close collaboration with Clearmont Group and Sudima Hotels.

“The building will complete the retail loop of the centre with a lobby on the ground floor accessing the hotel above. The palette of materials developed from previous buildings on the site includes weathering steel, warm timber-like tones on the upper levels and board-marked concrete panels with timber soffits.”

Construction by Naylor Love began earlier this month, with the company’s regional manager Greg Boland saying they were proud to have worked with Five Mile from the start of the development.

“The design team has put a lot of time into making sure that the new hotel ties in with the look and feel of the rest of the development, and we’re looking forward to delivering a stunning building that fulfils their vision,” he says.

Sudima Queenstown at Five Mile is close to Queenstown Airport, major ski fields and main routes north and south. The hotel will feature 120 guest rooms (king, twin and family), a restaurant and bar with alfresco dining, four meeting and conference rooms and ski storage. The décor will have natural finishes throughout to complement the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Sudima Hotels is an award-winning leader in the New Zealand accommodation and hospitality sector. Last year it won three New Zealand Tourism Awards, taking home the Supreme Tourism Award, along with the Environmental and Employer of Choice awards.

Sudima Queenstown is set to open as a single-use plastic free property, built to a standard that will enable certification to carboNZero status as soon as possible. This will further bolster Sudima Hotels’ reputation as a leader in sustainability, diversity and accessibility.

Sudima Hotels CEO Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala says, “We’re thrilled to be announcing a new property in Queenstown, and proud to be chosen by the Clearmont Group as their hotel partner as they further augment the already successful Five Mile precinct.

“We set out to provide exceptional customer service in a welcoming and unpretentious manner and strive to be industry leaders in social and environmental responsibility. We look forward to progressing our mission and pushing ourselves forward with the opening of two new hotels this year and Queenstown a couple of summers from now.”

About Sudima Hotels

Sudima Hotels is a New Zealand hotel brand that is passionate about and committed to delivering environmentally friendly and accessible hotels in New Zealand. It is an industry leader in setting sustainability benchmarks, having achieved the first carboNZero certification for a New Zealand hotel, and initiating a movement within its group of hotels to become single-use plastic free by 2020. All its hotels are accessible and have been rated between Bronze and Platinum for accessibility by Be. Lab.

Underpinned by strong values that centre on caring, doing the right thing and working together, Sudima Hotels focuses on helping guests make the most of their day. Both corporate and leisure travellers will feel welcome and be greeted with a smile at Sudima Hotels.

Sudima Hotels current locations include Auckland Airport, Rotorua, Christchurch Airport and Christchurch City. It has hotels under development in Kaikōura, Auckland City and Queenstown.

Sudima Hotels is owned and managed by Auckland-based entrepreneur and property investor Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala.

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Medigrowth New Zealand plans Central Otago medicinal cannabis business

by February 17, 2020

Medigrowth New Zealand plans Central Otago medicinal cannabis business

A Central Otago-based company is forging ahead with plans to develop a medicinal cannabis cultivation, research and manufacturing business in the heart of wine country.

Medigrowth New Zealand, based in Cromwell, plans to provide pure and safe New Zealand-grown cannabinoid medicines to a market that recent research shows is “crying out” for alternatives to existing pain medications.

Queenstown businessman Aaron Murphy has been joined by Medigrowth Australia directors Todd McClellan and Adam Guskich in the New Zealand venture.

The Australian company was established in 2017 and brings its invaluable expertise, IP and experience to the local operation, established last year.

Aaron Murphy, who operates award-winning accommodation and property management services in Queenstown, says “the time is right” for Medigrowth’s launch.

“A law change in December 2018 paved the way for a regulated medicinal cannabis industry in New Zealand, with licences to be issued by a new Medical Cannabis Agency, application submissions from April 1,” he says.

“We’ve been working closely with New Zealand GPs on education initiatives, many of whom we know are being asked by increasing numbers of patients to prescribe medicinal cannabis but don’t currently have the training or knowledge to do so.

“Myself, Todd and Adam are all firm believers in the benefits of medicinal cannabis and the opportunity to deliver substantial improvements in patient health and wellbeing.

“We’ve identified a site for a world-class research and development facility on the outskirts of Cromwell which we already know is a fertile and fantastic growing region.”

The facility will offer state-of-the-art technology in extraction and manufacturing, cultivation, laboratory services, genetics supply and University-led research.

“There are many opportunities to partner with like-minded businesses in the region and utilise the skillsets of existing horticultural experts to create more jobs and opportunities for the area,” says Mr Murphy.

“We’re offering a genuine ‘seed to solution’ commitment to New Zealand patients and industry partners, and are working on licencing for the Ministry of Health on licences to cultivate medicinal cannabis and manufacture medicinal cannabis products.”

Current partners include specialist medical device and pharmaceutical consultancy Pharmout, experts in manufacturing practice.

“We’re currently raising capital for the business and are already talking to a number of businesses and individuals keen to invest in Medigrowth New Zealand,” says Mr Murphy.

“We’re also excited  to hear from potential partners intending to cultivate medicinal cannabis to meet projected demand and who require extraction and manufacturing services.”

Medigrowth is hosting two, free, workshops to help educate medical professionals on why and how to prescribe medical cannabis. The first will be on March 9 in Auckland and the second on March 14 at the Bannockburn Polytechnic’ main campus.

The workshops are open to GPs, registered nurses and specialist doctors.

The ‘Practical Skills in Prescribing Medicinal Cannabis’ workshop has been endorsed by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and approved for up to 6 CME credits.

The workshops will be co-hosted by Australian based GP Dr Teresa Towpik, who has been advocating for medical cannabis since it became legalised. She will be accompanied by well-respected Auckland-based GP Dr Graham Gulbransen – who is also a strong advocate for medical cannabis.

Register online here: https://medihuanna.com/practical-skills-in-prescribing-medicinal-cannabis-workshop-new-zealand/

Further information about Medigrowth can be found at www.medigrowth.co.nz

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Masterwood Joinery win prestigious international design award

by November 21, 2019

In true Kiwi fashion, small-town company – Cromwell’s Masterwood Joinery – staffers were elated and somewhat surprised when announced as winners of a prestigious, international design award in London.

The Society of British and International Interior Design’s (SBID) International Design Awards named Masterwood Joinery’s kitchen the winner in the KBB Design category (kitchen, bedroom, bathroom) on Friday (October 25, 2019).

Masterwood Joinery’s General Manager Jim Cleveland, who attended the high-end ceremony at JW Marriott Grosvenor House, said being proud was an understatement.

“The quality of our competitors was very high and to be honest we thought we would be outclassed, albeit extremely happy just to be finalists,” Jim says.

“When they announced Masterwood as the winner it was a feeling of elation unlike any I’d felt before – we are world champions in the design sector!”

The kitchen in a Lake Hayes home near Queenstown fuses Oriental and commercial chic to create a beautiful, cohesive space, which flawlessly interpreted the design brief of the owners.

“Apparently we were the most excited winners of the night and were crowd and organiser favourites,” Jim says.

“I think the small town joinery shop from a small country beating the big guns from all around the world was the catalyst for that feeling.”

SBID Founder and CEO, Dr Vanessa Brady OBE says the awards continue to grow from strength to strength.

“With a sell-out ceremony and more countries represented this year than any other, it truly is held as the premier interior design awards by the global industry and SBID is proud to present it each year.”

Finalists were chosen by a technical panel of judges which accounted for 70% of marks, while the remaining 30% was via public vote.

Masterwood’s inhouse designer Stefan Sonntag, who also attended the awards, designed the kitchen alongside Stuart Bateman of SB Design, who did the preliminary design and brief.

This is not the first time this kitchen has been in the limelight having has also claimed five major awards at the National Kitchen & Bathroom Association Awards in Melbourne earlier this year.

About the kitchen

Clean, straight lines, natural materials and earthy tones set the scene for the stunning kitchen. Heavy-duty powder coated steel box section legs support two islands, with an unapologetically commercial stainless-steel kitchen extractor suspended above the chef’s island.

At one end of the chef’s island is a cantilevered teppanyaki grill mounted in Ceasarstone, an engineered stone that is also the island’s work surface.

A favourite place in the kitchen for the lucky owners is the self-contained coffee-making area with sweeping views that include The Remarkables mountain range.

While many functional elements are hidden behind six-coat Ameron-lacquered soft close doors and panels, the owners were very definite about having as a ‘feature wall’ – in this case an impressive six door glass-fronted display cabinet.

This effectively distracts the eye from two pantry areas, one being a plumbed and fully equipped butler’s pantry. True to the Oriental theme, form and function are in perfect harmony in these pantries.

About the Awards

The SBID International Design Awards are awarded purely on the quality of the design, innovation, aesthetic and value-added to the project.

Each entry undergoes an exhaustive two-tier judging process by panels of leading industry experts for both technical content and aesthetic creativity. evaluating essential elements such as compliance with the brief, budget, health and safety and fit-for-purpose design.

The Public Vote is the final tier of scoring.

Masterwood’s Queenstown kitchen was a finalist in one of 14 categories from across 48 countries.

All winners for each category received a bespoke crystal trophy crafted by Sans Souci glass deco. Winners are also been featured in the SBID Global Interior Design 2019 coffee table book, which is available to purchase online at www.sbidawards.com

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