Ngāi Tahu Tourism has appointed a Business Manager for its joint venture Earth & Sky stargazing experience in Takapō (Lake Tekapo), as it prepares to open its new world-class astronomy centre.
Shayne Te Aika will join the Earth & Sky team on 4 June from his recent roles as General Manager at a large eye specialist centre and a law firm.
Ngāi Tahu Tourism General Manager Experience Operations Emma Gardiner says the tourism operator is delighted to have Mr Te Aika on board.
Mr Te Aika will be based in Takap≈ç, where Earth & Sky’s astronomy centre is planned to open in early July.
“I am excited to be joining a business that continues to lead astro-tourism and I look forward to joining the team as a new chapter unfolds in Earth & Sky’s journey,” he says.
“As the new daytime astronomy experience will showcase the amazing night sky not just from a scientific perspective but also from a MƒÅori astronomy perspective, I am privileged as a NgƒÅi Tahu descendant to be appointed to lead the Earth & Sky team.
“Earth & Sky has been working closely with mana whenua to ensure the cultural astronomy content is authentic and it will be brilliant to see these stories come to life in a way that has never been done before.”
The new operation will complement Earth & Sky’s existing outdoor evening tours at the University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory, Cowan’s Observatory and the Church of the Good Shepherd, and will include food, beverage and retail facilities.
The astronomy centre will also include the 125-year-old Brashear Telescope, which has been restored to full working condition after spending five decades in storage.
Earth & Sky is partly owned by Ngāi Tahu Tourism, one of the leading tourism operators in Aotearoa with 14 businesses. Ngāi Tahu Tourism is a subsidiary of Ngāi Tahu Holdings, which is governed by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
