The Station acquisition further cements Ngāi Tahu Tourism’s commitment to Queenstown

Sept 8, 2020

Ngāi Tahu Tourism has taken full ownership of The Station booking and information hub in central Queenstown as it looks to create a presence for its reopened tourism experiences, including Shotover Jet.

The Station, on the corner of Shotover and Camp streets in the town centre, has been a highly visible part of Queenstown’s tourism scene for more than three decades. It provides information and booking services for many of the region’s attractions and activities

It is also a pivotal central base for shuttle services for the Shotover Jet, which has re-opened, and other Ngāi Tahu Tourism experiences throughout Whakatipu.

Ngāi Tahu Tourism National Sales Manager Steve Bruce says Ngāi Tahu Tourism has enjoyed partial ownership of The Station. The move to full ownership, with a newly re-signed lease, enables the company to optimise the visibility of its tourism experiences in a prominent, strategic location.

“Full ownership of The Station positions us well to support our businesses across Whakatipu and continue to improve the experience for our manuhiri (guests).

“The Station has a fantastic central Tāhuna Queenstown location, providing us a strategic opportunity to raise the visibility and presence for all our tourism experiences, including our world-famous Shotover Jet.”

Bruce says taking full ownership of The Station also demonstrates Ngāi Tahu Tourism’s long-term commitment to the region and the community it operates in.

“It reflects our optimism about the future of tourism in Whakatipu and the wider Southern Lakes area,” he says.

“The global pandemic and the resulting loss of international visitors has hit Queenstown and the surrounding area particularly hard. But we have already seen New Zealanders want to experience everything Queenstown has to offer.

“We have worked hard in recent months to reopen our Whakatipu experiences. This expansion of our stake in The Station will further support us in extending our manaaki (hospitality) to New Zealanders at this time. It also allows us to be ready to greet our international manuhiri once they are again able to travel here and give them great experiences in our outstanding part of the world.

“This commitment to The Station is indicative of Ngāi Tahu Tourism’s dedication to providing amazing experiences for our manuhiri from around Aotearoa and, once the borders are able to safely reopen, our international visitors.”