While many tourism companies are struggling with COVID-19 restrictions, one of the South Island’s largest cycle tour operators, based in Nelson, has grown their business by 300 per cent, and joined New Zealand’s largest e-bike franchise.
Andrew Schwass, director of Nelson e-bike rental company Kiwi journeys, has opened an Electrify NZ store in Nelson, specialising in e-bikes alongside the tour business he runs with his wife Sherie.
As New Zealanders continue to face closed borders with COVID-19 restrictions, Andrew says demand for Kiwi Journeys’ multi-day tours increased an unprecedented 300 per cent over the past 12 months.
"So many of our customers ride our electric bikes at Kiwi Journeys, and then they want one for themselves, so taking on the Electrify NZ franchise was a natural progression," says Andrew.
Kiwi Journeys is one of New Zealand’s major cycle tour operators. They started in 2012 with a fleet of just 12 bikes operating from a single location at Mapua.
They have now served thousands of rental customers and maintain a fleet of 300 bikes with locations in Nelson, Mapua, Kaiteriteri and Hokitika on the West Coast.
Bike trails such as the Great Taste Trail and West Coast Wilderness Trail have proved extremely popular for both locals and tourists, says Schwass, and using an e-bike means riders can go faster and further.
"People want to get outside and explore our country and e-bikes are the perfect way to do that."
Customs import figures and other data suggest that between 2014 and 2020 New Zealand’s e-bike imports skyrocketed from about 2000 units a year to 50000 units.
"People love the e-bikes, and it has become obvious that e-bikes are the future of cycling in New Zealand," says Andrew.
"People can’t travel but they still want to go somewhere and do things and that has also had a flow on effect for our Kiwi Journeys tour business," says Andrew.
Andrew, who was born in Nelson, and is a former first-class cricketer, says Nelson is one of the e-bike hotspots in New Zealand.
"There are multiple parks and trails. People go out and ride the trails then go to one of the local craft breweries, wineries and eateries," says Andrew.
Electrify NZ is the country’s largest specialist supplier of e-bikes, with more than 70 independent dealers nationwide and a franchise retail operation of ten locally owned stores.
It stocks several major e-bike brands including Haibike and KTM, as well as New Zealand-designed Black and Smartmotion electric bikes.
They stock bikes for all riding styles and budgets from $2499 right up to high-end electric mountain bikes.
