NZONE short listed for coveted Tourism Award

NZONE has been named as a finalist in the prestigious New Zealand Tourism Industry Awards 2007. The company’s nomination is in the ‘Adventure Activity’ category.

“We’re thrilled to have our operation recognised by reaching finalist status. We’re in Rotorua at the Tourism Rendezvous NZ conference right now, and receiving some great feedback on our achievement,” said General Manager Robynne Williams.

NZONE has experienced a year of strong growth, which the company attributes to capitalising on changing trends, and recognising continued growth in the independent travel sector.

Ms Williams said the independent travel sector had embraced the internet as a research and booking channel and, as a result, had moved towards direct pre-booking of holiday activities.

“Traditionally the psychology of the adventure market has been to plan nothing, arrive at a destination, then make activity decisions. This is definitely changing to a pre-planning focus,” said Ms Williams.

“The growth of the internet as a booking channel, coupled with the fact that people want to maximise their holiday time, means there is more planning before they leave home. We have some bookings as far out as 10 months in advance, which would have been unheard of a couple of years ago.”

NZONE directors have grown their business from a modest staff of three in 1990, to a team of 40 full-time, dedicated skydiving enthusiasts spanning their Queenstown and Rotorua operations. As Queenstown’s only tandem skydive company, NZONE operates from their private airstrip on farm land just twenty minutes from the town centre.

As New Zealand industry leaders, NZONE’s business philosophy focuses on value coupled with exceptional quality. To date more than 100,000 customers have tandem skydived from NZONE’s iconic aircraft (see image attached).

The company challenges customers to experience the adrenalin-fuelled freefall of the ‘Exosfear’ 15,000ft jump, ‘Stratosfear’ 12,000ft jump or ‘Troposfear’ 9,000ft jump.

NZONE is one of six Queenstown operators named as this year’s Tourism Industry Awards finalists and one of three adventure activities short listed in New Zealand overall. Following finalist evaluation and site visits, winners will be announced in August 2007.

NZONE was a tourism award winner in 2002 and finalists in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. The company was the first tandem skydive operation in New Zealand and the first to have been awarded the Qualmark endorsement at both its Queenstown and Rotorua locations.

“This trend-setting sport continues to grow in popularity and tandem skydiving is rated amongst the top three adventure activities undertaken by international visitors to New Zealand,” said Ms Williams.

ENDS

© Scoop Media