Ahipara Luxury Travel New Zealand

Waitomo Luxury at Last

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +1200

For many years our secret weapon in Waitomo has been Kyle Barnes. With the popularity of Waitomo as a destination and the absolute lack of luxury services there we were very keen early on to do something about the area for our clients. Kyle was able to supply us with guides and with after-hours entrance to excellent caves, thus ensuring a quality experience for clients used to personal service. Many of our clients have thus been able to take a warm personal memory of a quality New Zealand service away with them.

Now Kyle has gone a stage further and developed something so spot-on that we cannot keep it to ourselves. Together with a high-powered team of extremely experienced cavers he has developed the first luxury cave experience in Waitomo. A sm ...

Source: Waitomo Luxury at Last

New Zealand - Growing all the time

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +1200

New Zealand has two growing seasons and our plants can grow enormously quickly. Sometimes it feels the same in tourism. I was driving through the country once again last month, undertaking some supplier visits and product updates and was delighted at the pace and style of change.

From new well-thought-through products like Kyle's cave in Waitomo, to Delani Brown's launch as a private guide (see his website here) to places like Millar Road in Hawkes Bay, the change of ownership at Long Island Tours, also in Hawkes Bay, re-opening of Matakauri, re-opening of Oliver's in Clyde etc. There is certainly a lot to keep us busy in the off season doing our homework so we can delight our clients in the new season.

O ...

Source: New Zealand - Growing all the time

Commercial in Confidence

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +1200

People often ask me why I give out our "secrets" as competitors can just pick them up and attempt to duplicate our services, or at least say they can do the same as us. So I started thinking about this and the answer, as with so much which just "feels right", is really quite sensible.

Firstly, we have a two-way relationship with our suppliers where we like to see them succeed and would not feel right placing obstacles in their path.

Secondly, we have an ethical business and cannot do anything but act ethically. We will not change this for anyone.

Thirdly, promoting some of our suppliers who would benefit from higher visibility helps the tourism industry realise what we do and why - and may (from those people who &qu ...

Source: Commercial in Confidence

Authentic Waitangi

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Waitangi Day is in essence New Zealand's national day. It celebrates, on 6th February, the treaty signed between England and Maori chiefs in 1840, which forms the basis of modern New Zealand. It was signed in the Far North, in the Bay of Islands at a place called Waitangi.

Every year, Maori tribes from all over the country congregate at Waitangi to commemorate the treaty. It is probably the most significant date in the Maori calendar. There are two main aspects to this commemoration - a dawn service and a massed flotilla of waka (traditional canoes). There have been as many as 300 warriors in 20 waka in the last few years.

These waka are filled to the brim with fierce warriors selected for their personal prow ...

Source: Authentic Waitangi

New Zealand in June/July/August

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Why come to New Zealand in June/July/August? We actually prefer our clients not to come at this time, so we can enjoy some time off, catch up with new product, continue product development and also catch up with some marketing. However, I thought it was time to write something about this time of year in New Zealand which is not without its attractions.

Something which has been at the back of my mind for a few months is the difference between what tourists like doing in New Zealand (see all the instant expert advice on TripAdvisor etc. - something I may tackle next month!), and what locals like doing here. In winter, broadly speaking, the Australians come here to ski and everyone else stays away. This has been fairly graphically illustrated this season ...

Source: New Zealand in June/July/August

Private Houses in New Zealand

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Many people offer 5-star "private houses" here in New Zealand - but very rarely are they delivering what they are promising.

To make a private residence 5-star rather than 4-star requires service. Housekeeping, chef, concierge and transportation. To offer this much at a consistent luxury level requires management of a complex portfolio of specialists around the country. The luxury travel industry makes its money from commissions and quick client turnarounds - therefore making a custom private house service uneconomic to develop and uneconomic to operate. Looking under the surface at offerings on the internet, true 5-star lodges and service offered as "private homes" will be seen to be nothing more than cottages linked to existing lo ...

Source: Private Houses in New Zealand

Moves for the New Season

Tue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 +1200

We all know that continuous evolution is a successful life strategy. Wearied and battered after our 18-month effort culminating in our best season ever, trying to ignore the fact that a new season is around the corner, we have picked ourselves up and are moving ever forward with our vision for Ahipara.

Quite a number of new initiatives will be announced in due course, taking us ever forward in terms of experience, exclusivity, and value for money. For the moment they are confidential as we have not yet finalised them.

On the non-confidential side, we are moving our office south from Auckland to Alexandra. As Ahipara is a lifestyle business, a large part of the move is lifestyle related, especially as we are moving to a farm with horses for the kid ...

Source: Moves for the New Season

Cycling in New Zealand

Mon, 10 May 2010 00:00:00 +1200

If I see a bandwagon, I usually run. Bandwagons aren't cool. For the last year or so I've been making clever remarks about John Key's cycleway plans, bandwagons, blinkered tourism chiefs, yes-men and so on. Now I have to admit that it looks like it's working. (and also that Tourism NZ look like they are becoming a lot more useful and in touch too!!!) This makes me very happy. The bigger the budget aligned with good strategies, the better for all of us.

In the past, when clients have asked us about cycling in New Zealand we have disuaded them. Too dangerous, not properly supported. And on the main roads, this remains largely true. But with the Central Otago Rail Trail leading the way and a number of other initiatives around ...

Source: Cycling in New Zealand

Horse Trekking

Sun, 09 May 2010 00:00:00 +1200

The other area we want to seriously look at is horse riding in New Zealand. In the past, we have set up ad hoc luxury horseriding on private estates with a gathered seafood (abalone!) lunch, or visits to private equine establishments. What we are now doing is turning our attention to developing more permanent horse riding and trekking capability throughout the country, and linked into our style - which for the uninitiated means depth, connections, understanding and authenticity underpinned by professionalism, hospitality and a genuine love of people.

For example, two options we are looking at incorporate horse trekking in a Maori hunting/gathering environment in the Central North Island as well as South Island high country mustering. These options should be ...

Source: Horse Trekking

Motivating Finale!

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1300

Huge apologies to our loyal client, fan, partner base. We haven't sent out a newsletter since January because, with all your support, we've just posted our busiest year ever!

It ended on Saturday with a highly successful visit by Tony Robbins' Platinum Partners. A thoroughly enjoyable group, we were especially impressed with their openness and hunger for knowledge, insights and connections. This was music to our ears as in four short days we had them abseiling down waterfalls, jumping waves in surf life saving boats, experiencing a traditional powhiri, simulated formation divebombing in vintage aircraft, taking a helicopter flying lesson, test driving the latest Mercedes saloons and 4WD vehicles on a private testing circuit, extreme golfing, and muster ...

Source: Motivating Finale!

Connections

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1300

I was trained as a corporate strategist, my Masters thesis was about the future of IT, my childhood was spent travelling through inhospitable places. The future, and especially the future of travel has always been a passion of mine. Not satisfied with the two-dimensional (crispy green) rewards for a standard job, I've always pushed further as you will have seen from other newsletters in this collection. Why do people travel? What makes New Zealand so appealing? What will the luxury traveller demand tomorrow? What will New Zealand look like tomorrow? In which direction should we drive Ahipara?

There is no doubt in my mind that our clients are focused on depth as a primary consideration. Sure, there are all sorts of other importan ...

Source: Connections

How Far Does Tourism Extend?

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1300

Just before the Tony Robbins group in March I spent a week or two with our fastest return visitor. Everyone promises to come back, some do. Mr X came back only three months after he left. He'd fallen in love with the country on his first visit and came back to deepen his connection here.

We took him around the country looking at a number of investment properties, but of course in our unique style. As a people-focused company, this of course involved people. Clever people with opinions who could shed light from a number of different angles on his investment decisions. Commercial property, tourism, farming, - and different points of view on return and value. Meanwhile there was also a fair amount of enjoyment and humour.

This ...

Source: How Far Does Tourism Extend?

Experience and Edginess

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +1300

People often talk about New Zealand as an "active" destination. They also talk about the phenomenal natural beauty. And also about the friendliness of the people. And finally, most of them say their time here was the best they had of anywhere in the world.

As a tourism operator specialising in New Zealand, I'm delighted. As a world traveller who has seen many beautiful places, I keep revisiting why this country has such a consistent and positive impact on people. I want to make sure we're not kidding ourselves.

Other countries are as active. Other countries are as beautiful. Other people are as friendly. An insightful remark by a client a couple of years ago keeps surfacing - "Jean-Michel, no one count ...

Source: Experience and Edginess

Bay of Islands

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +1300

I was up in the Bay of Islands, yesterday, tacking a product inspection on to the end of a trip with some delightful Canadian clients. This was a real hardship - conning a 70ft trimaran around one of the most beautiful harbours in the world in near-perfect weather conditions. And to make it worse, my family came up - children I've hardly seen over the busy season. It's always good to have a reminder that being in a beautiful place doing wonderful things isn't always work!

As always, every supplier we use has to be special in one way or another. With this one, the vessel is extremely fast, manouverable and easy to handle, which means that I took the wheel for a large part of the day. And the skipper is extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and loves i ...

Source: Bay of Islands

Queenstown Excellence

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1300

We are known for telling our top lodges they are expensive. In certain cases, though, this can be money well spent. We have held off writing about Eichardt's in Queenstown as we have also been very impressed with The Spire. So we've decided to write about both of them.

Eichardt's is one of our favourite top lodges in the country. Very boutique, beautifully decorated, wonderfully situated, and with discreet but friendly, helpful and intelligent service. Highly highly recommended and always enjoyed by our clients.

The Spire is aimed at mid-range 5-star travellers, is almost as well situated, excellent decoration, and with the all-important human touch with staff. Clients have again been unanimous with their fee ...

Source: Queenstown Excellence