Tourism company Southern Discoveries is investing in a fleet of state-of-the-art coaches to service new coach and cruise day trips from Queenstown to Milford Sound.

Three new purpose-built, low-emissions Scania 400EB coaches are being constructed by one of New Zealand’s top coach manufacturers to offer excellent viewing, comfort and enhanced safety.

They feature an extra-wide glass roof that makes the most of the majestic alpine scenery on this world-renowned journey, and comfortable reclining seats with plenty of leg room.

The announcement comes as Southern Discoveries celebrates impressive growth, with significant investment over the past eight years in its Milford Sound and Queenstown operations.

CEO Tim Hunter said the company prided itself on its exceptional customer service and was always looking for new ways to improve products and services to enhance the customer experience.

“With visitor numbers to Milford Sound continuing to rise, we’re expecting strong demand for our new coach and cruise day trips from Queenstown,” he said.

“The road to Milford Sound is a tourism experience in itself, and these new coaches will enable us to offer a seamless service from Queenstown, on vehicles and vessels that are purpose-built for sightseeing.

“We’ll provide multi-lingual commentary en route and ensure we have a number of day trip options to suit the needs of a wide range of visitors.”

Southern Discoveries is Milford Sound’s original cruise operator and has been owned by the Queenstown-based Skeggs family since 2008. The company now operates six cruising vessels and has 130 staff members in Queenstown, Te Anau and Milford Sound.

The company’s range of new experiences introduced over recent years include kayaking in Milford Sound, scenic cruises on Lake Wakatipu and cycling and high country farm experiences in Queenstown.

Southern Discoveries will launch its new coach and cruise products from Queenstown to Milford Sound from August 2017.

ENDS

TOURISM EXPORT COUNCIL NZ SCEPTICAL OF GOVERNMENT’S FRESHWATER ANNOUNCEMENT: 

On the surface the Government’s Freshwater announcement yesterday looks and sounds good, but the Tourism Export Council is sceptical the release is a smokescreen that disguises the true state of New Zealand’s Freshwater status and is seeking transparency and urgency from government re New Zealand’s declining water quality in the country’s rivers, lakes and streams.

The Prime Minister announced yesterday new standards for freshwater quality with 90% of waterways swimmable by 2040 – which on paper sounds like great news. The Tourism Export Council however joins many environmental groups to voice concerns that this announcement is a rouse and simply not good enough.

Firstly, without a sense of urgency pollution of our waterways will continue to worsen for the foreseeable future – something the Tourism Industry cannot afford.

Secondly, the Government’s definition of ‘swimmable’ is vastly different to what we believe most New Zealand would consider “swimmable”.

Previous, the Government’s measure for freshwater to be safe to drink or swim in has been 260 E coli units per 100 millilitres, that had now been pushed out to 540 units and if a body of freshwater meets that standard 80 per cent of the time, it is deemed ‘swimmable’. Quite simply the goalposts have been widened to ensure more rivers and streams fall within the govt’s threshold of ‘swimmable’.

Up until now, most councils have determined recreational water quality using Ministry of Health guidelines.  Those guidelines state that if you swim somewhere with an E coli level of 550 per 100mls, you have a one in 20 chance of contracting campylobacter.  This is effectively the Govt’s new definition of swimmable – a one in 20 chance of getting sick from swimming in our rivers and streams.  Clearly – not acceptable.

The Tourism Export Council’s chief executive Lesley Immink says there is a lot at stake with potential reputational damage a risk for New Zealand.

“Today’s visitors are environmentally aware and clean water is an essential aspect for New Zealand’s tourism and primary exports future. We have to be seen to be doing all we can to live up to 100% Pure New Zealand promise, backed up by meaningful policy,” Ms Immink says.

Last year, the Council supported the Choose Clean Water Campaign which highlighted that New Zealanders wanted swimmable water.  The campaign ended with a 13,000 signature petition being presented to Parliament calling for better freshwater quality.

Since then tour operators have given a mandate to the Council to continue to advocate for the protection of the environment.

“New Zealand could become the first genuinely sustainable nation.  It has the natural assets and people to make this possible but we risk these assets being eroded by poor decision making, poor business practices and careless decisions”.

We are better than the solutions presented yesterday.

National Aquarium of New Zealand – MTG Museum – Theatre – Gallery – Kennedy Park Accommodation – i-Site – Par 2 Mini Golf – Library – Municpal Theatre – Conference Centre

Lake Tekapo – Upkeep of the Church of the Good Shepherd

The Church of the Good Shepherd has seen increasing impacts from the influx of tourists visiting Lake Tekapo and the Mackenzie district in recent years. TEC is working with the Church to assist with enhancement of the experience for visitors, car-parking and other related issues.

While infrastructure amenity funding has been made available to provide new toilet facilities on the west side of the Tekapo footbridge, there are costs involved in maintaining the church and enhancing the experience itself that are currently being borne by the local parish (the Mackenzie Cooperating Church). TEC encourages coach operators, rental vehicle and inbound companies that visit or promote the Church of the Good Shepherd, to make a donation to help cover the costs of maintaining the Church and experience.  You can find information on how to donate here. In addition, drivers and guides can also encourage their customers to make a donation either using the website or using the onsite donations box on the side of the Church.

Many thanks for recognising that we need to honour and assist this unique New Zealand icon so that it remains a beautiful and respected Church and attraction by all visitors to Tekapo.

Two new InterCity double-decker buses are hitting the road this week, offering a new level of luxury for long-distance bus passengers.

The new 65-seater InterCity GOLD buses will travel daily between Auckland and Wellington from Thursday 26 January, with stops along the way including Hamilton, Cambridge, Tokoroa, Taupo, Bulls and Palmerston North.

Each Scania K440 vehicle has 18 GOLD seats on the upper level – large soft leather recliners with individual charge ports and power outlets.

“We’re committed to providing quality travel experiences for our passengers, and InterCity GOLD offers the highest level of comfort in long distance bus travel,” says Sam Peate, InterCity Group General Manager Coachlines and Auckland Tourism.

“With personal charging facilities plus our free mobile WiFi, customers can stay connected throughout their journey.”

Standard seating will also be available on both levels, with standard seats also offering USB charge ports.

InterCity launched its popular GOLD service in 2014 and has been expanding its availability ever since, with GOLD buses now available in both the North and South Islands.

The new buses have more GOLD seats available than on previous vehicles, and are the first with GOLD seats on the upper rather than lower level. Built at a cost of over $1.5m, the 15-tonne double-decker buses stand 4.3m high and 13.5m in length.

InterCity GOLD seats are available on four out of InterCity’s six daily services between Auckland and Wellington. The premium seats are also available on services between Napier and Wellington and between Picton and Christchurch, with more routes to be announced in the near future.

Find out more about InterCity GOLD.

Hello all – I hope you all had a great festive break?

I just wanted to put out a message to a few people who wanted to run off a few excess meals from over the festive break. We have the Waitomo Trail run happening on the 29^th April 2017. It is a great run over some amazing scenery. Entries for the Waitomo Trail run can be made at http://www.waitomotrailrun.co.nz/ . It sold out last year so pre-booking is important.

Waitomo Trail run video – The distances are 6km, 11km and 22km.

THL would like to invite any TEC members an opportunity to visit the caves during the day with their families. This would be a great way to visit the region and visit the caves on an FOC basis for members and immediate family.

Regards and happy to help on any questions.

Heritage and CityLife Hotels have a fixed term role as a Sales Co-ordinator for our International Leisure segment covering a 12 month maternity leave.

You can find more details about the role and apply by copying this link into your web browser; https://heritagehotels.recruitmenthub.co.nz/Vacancies/3250175/title/Sales-Coordinator

If tourism operators want to employ skilled migrant workers they may have to start paying more. That’s the message from the government, TEC CEO Lesley Immink told the end of year symposium. TEC is working with TIA and MBIE on immigration visitor and migrant worker visas categories.  “the main message the government is saying to us is, if you value this employee you have to show your value by a pay rate or wage with a minimum of $47,000 (based on a 40 hr week) whether front office language speakers, inbound operator product managers or adventure tour guides”. Migrants applying for employment under the Skilled Migrant Category also now need 160 points to qualify for the visa compared to the previous 140 points. Priority weighting and points (30) are given to those who choose to work outside the Auckland region. It is expected further changes to Essential Skills and Working Holiday Visas will be announced early next year.

Ms Immink said TEC has an ongoing friend-and-foe relationship with DoC. “tour operators care for the environment, whether they be part of a group tour, Real Journeys or THL.  We all want to deliver that experience and most of it happens on the DoC estate but there are challenges with DOC working in the commercial space.” TEC is working with TIA, DoC and the Bus and Coach association looking at improving the compliance to guiding, parking and general concessions.  “It is big work in progress with DoC experiencing phenomenal growth in recent years. So many more people are getting out and experiencing wildlife which has increased the pressure on the infrastructure and environment.”

ITOs work hard bringing in groups and FITs to New Zealand but because of supply and demand for hotel inventory, there are constant price changes and allocations.“We are constantly working on your behalf up in market to bring new business to New Zealand and it has been frustrating when ITOs secure the business thinking they have allocation and contracted rates only to be told, sorry the status quo has changed, she told operators. This causes embarrassment to the ITO and the wholesaler at the other end, and is damaging the reputation of New Zealand as a destination. A pop-up survey last month with ITOs indicated up to 30% of business being lost from New Zealand because accommodation in Auckland and Queenstown cannot be secured to complete itineraries. We need to respectfully keep talking to each other so there are less ‘surprises’ and we don’t turn off wholesalers from dropping New Zealand as one of their destinations to sell.”

TEC took a risk supporting the Choose Clean Water Campaign but wanted to contribute to a worthy project – protecting the environment. Between the campaign, a successful petition (13,000), the submission to the Next Steps for Freshwater, TEC has bought the tourism industry into an important environmental discussion with 92% of members indicating they want TEC to continue advocating for the protection of the environment. When the campaigners appeared before a select committee the young group was impressive. “All are under 30, all are studying and it was inspiring to have these young people standing up for freshwater. The Select committee with representatives from Labour, National and Green Parties with local government were highly impressed with their presentation. That combined with the Havelock North water borne illness incident, has prompted them to recommend to government that Freshwater quality become and an issue of public health & safety.

Young TEC has grown to 270 members and in its short history has already won the PATA gold award for education and training. This may be extended to other PATA member nations. Young TEC is also keen to hold TEC Talks, similar to the popular and global philosophical and inspirational TED talks on Youtube.

We offer a large selection of helicopter and plane experiences throughout New Zealand. We also offer charter work and the southern hemisphere’s only ski plane experience.