Sail NZ [Tourism Sector]

Jan 30, 2009

Favourable winds propel sailing venture

Graeme Kennedy [NBR]

Yachting entrepreneur William Goodfellow already has a boat in Valencia ready to take spectators ringside during the next America’s Cup clash.

He has bought NZL38, the Black Magic speedster which backed up NZL32’s win against the US off San Diego in 1995, for the showdown against Alinghi.

It joins the fleet of Cup boats he began acquiring at 23 for Team New Zealand’s successful 2000 defence in the Hauraki Gulf.

Mr Goodfellow is expanding his Auckland- based match-racing and corporate team-building sailing venture Sail NZ to the Middle East where he plans to have two boats in Dubai by September. And he is selling berths aboard Sir Peter Blake’s round- world yacht Lion NZ for the Sydney-Hobart race this year — the 25th anniversary of Sir Peter’s win with the big boat in the Boxing Day classic.

The yachting business is part of Mr Goodfellow’s wider tourism company Explore NZ, which includes whale and dolphin watching, Bay of Islands cruising and Northland off-road coastal adventures.

Sail NZ topped the tourism sector in NBR’s monthly Exciting Companies series with a 73 rating in surveys conducted by strategic business consultancy New River. It was followed by AJ Hackett’s Queenstown bungy jump on 70, Dive Tutukaka with 64, South Island activities operator Real Journeys at 61.5 and Air New Zealand with 60.

A Pacific Asia Travel Association Young Tourism Professional Award winner, Mr Goodfellow began offshore yacht racing at 16 before sailing two-handed across the Tasman and crewing in the 1995 Sydney-Hobart. He was skippering tourist boats in the Bay of Islands until 1999 when he bought a corporate charter vessel for fans who wanted to experience the 2000 Cup defence closeup.

“I used it to acquire NZL40 which was originally a French 1995-generation yacht being used by the Swiss as a trial boat,” he said.

“Our second, NZL41, was Japanese and used by the UK team for the 2003 regatta. I assumed Team New Zealand would eventually lose the Cup and began planning to diversify and expand the business.

“I formed Explore NZ after the loss to Alinghi and we still use 40 and 41 on the Gulf for team-building and match-racing.”

Mr Goodfellow bought cruising catamaran On the Edge for Bay of Islands tourist work in 2003 and the same year purchased Lion NZ for corporate charters, functions, team-building and offshore and Pacific Island racing.

Explore NZ acquired Dolphin Discoveries in the Bay, offering Hole in the Rock cruises and swimming with dolphins. The operation has been expanded with the 25m, 225-passenger cruising catamaran Discovery 5.

Dune Rider, featuring 38-seat off-road coaches on Cape Reinga and Ninety-Mile Beach tours, recently became part of the group while Whale
and Dolphin Safaris operates a 20m catamaran in the Hauraki Gulf.

“It’s amazing how much life is out there,” Mr Goodfellow said. “There is a resident population of whales and dolphins which seems to be increasing and a lot of tertiary post-graduate studies have been done using our vessel as a platform.”

Mr Goodfellow said Sail NZ had acquired two new yachts — 2000 Cup defender NZL 60 and Team NZ triallist NZL68 — which would replace 40 and 41 in Auckland when they went to Dubai.

“We are planning to take On the Edge to Australia in winter for whale-watching out of Hervey Bay,” he said.

“We are still working on that. And there is Valencia — Alinghi has said the next America’s Cup will be in 2010 but court action is still
pending.

“We are an evolving company, always looking for more opportunities.”

HARDER TIMES COMING

The tourism sector expects harder times after a long period of growth as the global economic crisis slows inbound arrivals, particularly from traditional long-haul markets such as the UK, Europe and the US.

Total international visitors shrank by 10% in the final quarter last year while others including China dropped by 30%.

Consultancy New River’s survey of the industry found respondents were worried that conditions will worsen in the coming autumn and winter.

“Most said this will be a tough year with new bookings reduced significantly as people wait and see what will happen in the financial crisis,” it said.

The survey identified continued buoyancy in domestic and short-haul tourism from markets such as Australia but while independent travel remained strong group tours had decreased.

Business conditions

Respondents’ rating of current business conditions in the TOURISM Sector

Very buoyant =5%
Buoyant =20%
Neutral =25%
Difficult =50%
Very difficult =0%

Top 10 Tourism

Rank / Company/ Excitement rating

1 Sail NZ 73.0
2 AJ Hackett 70.0
3 Dive! Tutukaka 64.0
4 Real Journeys 61.5
5= Air New Zealand 60.0
5= Footprints Waipoua 60.0
7 Monarch Wildlife Cruises 57.0
8= Fullers (Bay of Islands) 55.0
8= Shotover Canyon Swing 55.0
10 AGS Pacific 54.5