Online and on skifield

A shared passion for New Zealand's outdoors and skifields led to two University of Otago graduates launching the globally successful Educating Adventures. Simon Hartley learns more.

 

---

 

During the past four years, the online Educating Adventures has developed two niche-market travel industry products; with one targeting the training of ski and snowboard instructors and the other providing international school travel packages for groups to destinations which include North America, South America and New Zealand.

More than 400 people have become instructors and more than 40 school groups have used the Queenstown-based company's services.

The Deloitte Fast 50 companies index, which ranks the top 50 businesses in New Zealand according to their growth during the past three years, was announced in late October.

Edu-Adventures' 396% growth ranked it 17th, second only to highest placed Otago regional winner, the New Zealand Honey Company and its 523% growth rate.

Educating Adventures was founded by long-time friends and snow enthusiasts Jonathon Beckingsale (33) and Eryn Cutler (31) in 2006.

In a reflection of the market where they operate, this interview was done through a series of emails with Mr Beckingsale, beginning in New Zealand, then trailing him through Chile and on to Canada through late November and December.

The pair completed degrees at the University of Otago.

Mr Beckingsale did a bachelor of commerce in accounting and finance; before becoming a chartered accountant and working with Deloitte in Dunedin, then Wellington.

Mr Cutler gained an masters of science in climatology.

Their taste for adventure follows them meeting at university, becoming friends as ski instructors at Lake Tahoe in the United States, followed by getting together for adventure sports around the world, including mountain-biking and kayaking.

Mr Cutler went to mountaineering and climbed Mt Cook.

''We're a school travel company that specialises only in international school group travel ... with two company divisions,'' Mr Beckingsale said.

First, the ski and snowboard Instructor Internships, in partnership with ski resorts in Canada, the US, Australia and Japan, are for people generally aged 18-32.

''Clients have the opportunity to train to become a ski or snowboard instructors then step into paid employment in the same winter season,'' Mr Beckingsale said.

The business also offers a recruitment service for the ski resorts and the opportunity for clients to take a gap year, which in the United Kingdom is time off university before entering the workforce, as a career break or to begin a career in the industry.

''The target markets are primarily the United Kingdom, but we also have some clients from Australia and New Zealand,'' he said.

The second company division is organising international school travel packages, with the primary destinations at present including North America, South America and New Zealand.

''We provide specialist and fully managed packages for teachers with a focus on resources and ground representatives - taking the stress away from teachers,'' he said.

The target market is schools in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand.

He said Edu-Adventures had grown so quickly as it had hit on a niche market in the travel industry; focused on giving clients exactly what they want and need, through the eight-person team employed by Edu-Adventures in Queenstown, plus several overseas contract staff.