Ngāi Tahu Tourism reopens Huka Falls and Shotover River jetboat rides

Thursday, 28 May 2020

Queenstown Lakes District mayor Jim Boult and AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand co-founder Henry van Asch were the first jumpers as the country moved into Alert Level 2. (Video first published May 14, 2020)

Ngāi Tahu Tourism is set to reopen jetboat trips in Taupo and Queenstown just three weeks after announcing it would lay off more than 300 workers.

Hukafalls Jet in Taupō will be back on the water on Saturday, followed by Shotover Jet in Queenstown on Friday, July 3.

Prices will fall substantially when a limited schedule resumes four days a week, Friday to Monday, and passenger numbers will be restricted in line with alert level 2 safety requirements.

Hukafalls Jet rides will cost $99 for adults (previously $139) and $67 per child ($95), while Shotover Jet will charge $119 per adult ($159) and $67 per child ($89).

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Shover Jet rides will drop by $40 for adults and $22 for children when they resume on July 3.

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Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Lisa Tumahai said the reopenings demonstrated the iwi's commitment to the tourism industry, and it looked forward to supporting the regeneration of tourism in Queenstown and Taupō.

“The towns and regions in which we operate our tourism businesses are deeply important to us, so we're excited to return to these communities, to start welcoming manuhiri again and to share our amazing experiences with New Zealanders.”

The intention was always to reopen the jet boat operations earlier than Ngai Tahu Tourism's other businesses, 10 of which had been mothballed during lockdown, and recent restructuring took that into account.

Tumahai said the company would continue regularly assessing conditions for reopening remaining businesses which include the Agrodome and Rainbow Springs in Rotorua, and Tekapo's Dark Sky Project.

Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult said he was delighted at the news about Shotover Jet.

'I'm confident Kiwis, and soon hopefully visitors from our trans-Tasman bubble, will jump at the opportunity to experience Shotover River canyons.”