Whale Watch Kaikoura helps fund Harbour restoration.

Friday April 21st. For immediate release

Whale Watch Kaikoura have joined forces with key stake holders and the Government to support the restoration of the Kaikōura harbour following the November 2016 earthquake.

Whale Watch Kaikoura General Manager Kauahi Ngapora said the award-winning tourism operator was looking forward to working closely with Encounter Kaikōura, the Kaikōura District Council and the Crown to support the harbour repair.

“Kaikōura is a strong community that has pulled together through the adversity of last year’s quake. Whale Watch Kaikoura is happy to play a part in supporting this essential work to ensure the Kaikōura Harbour is restored to the same functionality as before.”

Mr Kauahi said providing a world class, nature-based tourism experience for the many thousands of visitors to the region required a quality harbour facility.

“We are grateful to be able to provide support for essential work, which rebuilds infrastructure that is key to the employment of many people in the region, and which provides a gateway for the tens of thousands of visitors to Kaikōura each year.

He said now that agreement had been reached on the restoration of the Kaikoura Harbour we can focus our efforts on the critical task of visitor recovery, and restoring visitor flows to Kaikoura as infrastructure comes back online. This collaboration will help ensure the harbour is open again by October, which is key to supporting the recovery of the local visitor sector and with it our community.

“The November quake caused major damage and disruption to our community, and we like all in Kaikōura and further afield are grateful for progress in repairing the damage to our town and infrastructure.

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About Whale Watch Kaikoura

Whale Watch is a multiple award-winning nature tourism company owned and operated by the indigenous Kati Kuri people of Kaikōura, a Māori sub-tribe of the South Island's larger Ngai Tahu Tribe.

Established in 1987, Whale Watch Kaikōura specialises in providing an inspirational experience for more than 100,000 visitors each year who take in the majesty and grace of giant sperm whales in their natural environment off the East Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

With unobtrusive viewing from specially designed vessels, tours also provide the opportunity to enjoy other temporary and long-term Kaikōura residents including dusky and Hector dolphins, New Zealand fur seals, and various species of mollymawk albatross, petrels, shearwaters, prions, fulmars and migrating whale species, including the humpback, southern right, blue, fin, orca, and the bottlenose.

www.whalewatch.co.nz

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