Grand Pacific Tours, the New Zealand Coach Holiday Specialist, celebrated their 25th anniversary on April 1.
Founded in Melbourne in 1996 by Peter Harding, his vision was to grow and develop as a New Zealand specialist who would deliver new and innovative touring products to Australians with the aim to ensure they experienced the holiday of a lifetime.
Aimed at the mature aged traveller, Grand Pacific Tours began with a small selection of tours to New Zealand within a simple 12-page brochure and the first ever tour departed in October 1996 with just four travellers onboard.
Since those early beginnings, the company has evolved to now offer mroe than 250 guaranteed departures with an 84-page brochure, providing coach holidays to thousands of travellers each year from around the world.
“Over the years our team has worked incredibly hard to develop an enhanced range of itineraries with multiple unique options for travellers to choose from," says managing director Peter Harding.
"We now provide 30 itinerary options with three ways to travel, utilising full size coaches with capacities of 20, 32 and 48 seats. Our position as the market leader for New Zealand coach touring has never been clearer."
A standout innovation for GPT has been the development of their ultimate small group touring product.
Travellers enjoy a ‘business class on wheels’ experience on board state-of-the-art vehicles, normally seating 48 travellers that have been configured to feature only 20 luxury leather seats, complete with additional amenities. This continues to be an exclusive product to GPT, not offered by any other operator at this premium level.
Other unique itineraries developed by GPT over the years are the Top of the South Island Tour, a holiday never before offered as a group touring itinerary; dedicated options for solo travellers; aviation tours; garden tours plus much more.
Harding heralds his team in Australia and on the road in New Zealand as being a major contributor to the success story of the business quoting “their dedication and loyalty to the brand is undeniable and inspiring."
“As we reflect over the past 25 years, The Grand Pacific Tours team has developed strong relationships with a large range of New Zealand operators and are grateful for the exceptional way our travellers are looked after and the true friendships formed within the industry.
“We are also proud of the strong relationships we’ve built with travel agent partners worldwide, and for 25 years continue to be 100 per cent wholesale," says Peter.
Grand Pacific Tours coach holidays range of travel styles on offer represents incredible value for money with tours to suit all tastes, durations and budgets.
“We are thrilled with the take up of our range of product and are excited to celebrate these achievements over the past 25 years. There is so much you can see and do in the spectacular destination of New Zealand and we are thrilled to share it with our travellers," says Peter.
