Nelson cycle tourism company Kiwi Journeys is expanding its operation into Central Otago.
The business will open its new Cromwell office ahead of the next season, adding the Otago Central Rail Trail, Roxburgh Gorge, Clutha Gold, and Lake Dunstan trails to its existing ‘Great Rides’ portfolio.
“We’ll be offering the most ‘Great Rides’ cycle trails of any operator in New Zealand,” says owner Andrew Schwass.
The decision to launch in Cromwell was entirely driven by customer demand.
“People would do our Great Taste Trail and West Coast Wildnerness rides and be so pumped when they finished that they’d want to continue on to the next one—but we didn’t have one to offer them.
“So I feel very confident that the market’s there to justify taking this step into Central.”
The company is also expanding its rides closer to home next season, launching the three-night ‘Nelson Explorer’ tour and the ‘Gorge on Scenery’ package out of Hokitika.
“We’ve built some great relationships with local accommodation providers and other operators in every region where we’re based,” says Andrew. “That gives us the confidence to both expand on our local offerings and launch further afield.”
He says bringing more money into the regions and spreading it around is a key part of Kiwi Journeys’ business ethos.
“We’ve already been approached by a couple of operators in Central wanting to explore ways of working together,” he says. “And why wouldn’t you—collaboration makes the tourism industry more resilient and sustainable.
“It’s a total win-win situation.”
