New Tourism Options on Auckland Harbour
Explore Group is excited to announce an exciting new tourism product on Auckland’s harbour with daily departures to the
islands of the Hauraki Gulf on their powercat Discovery 5 beginning in July.
The new product will provide visitors with transport to explore the islands including Rangitoto, Motutapu and Waiheke
with plans for further stops to be added in future. Offerings will be entirely tourism focussed and include
comprehensive options for day return trips as well as for longer stays.
Explore Group Managing Director William Goodfellow believes ‘this new product has huge potential for development and
working alongside the Department of Conservation, iwi interests and environmental groups, as we do successfully in the
Bay of Islands, we can ensure it will be a strong and innovative tourism product and great asset for Auckland’s visitor
economy’.
These new product offerings and the increased access to the islands should not only attract more visitors to the region
but also provide an opportunity to increase visitor attractions on offer on the islands themselves.
The companies trademark black and yellow power cat Discovery 5 will be the flagship vessel for these new offerings,
moving down from their Bay of Islands operations to be in Auckland.
Expansion with additional vessels is expected for the future with anticipated high demand for the new product and new
destinations.
Explore Events, Explore Group’s charter division, has already demonstrated a high demand island transport with an
increase in private charters to the islands for both corporate and private events over the last few years.
Explore has been the preeminent on the water operator, bringing sailing options to the public since 2000 and more
recently to the future King and Queen with the highly publicised Royal Match race on our ex-America’s Cup Yachts in
April.
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