Wildlife tourism firms amalgamate

Neil Harraway, of Monarch Wildlife Cruises (left) stands with Shaun Templeton, of Elm Wildlife...
Neil Harraway, of Monarch Wildlife Cruises (left) stands with Shaun Templeton, of Elm Wildlife Tours. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON
Two of Dunedin’s oldest established wildlife tourism operators have amalgamated.

The decision by Monarch Wildlife Cruises and Elm Wildlife Tours was prompted by the after-effects of Covid-19 on the tourism industry.

Monarch Wildlife Cruises, which has operated in Dunedin since the early 1980s, provide wildlife trips around Otago Harbour.

Elm Wildlife Tours, which was started by the Templeton family more than 20 years ago, offered land-based wildlife tours on Otago Peninsula.

With the loss of international tourists, 97% of Elm Wildlife Tours’ business went " out the window", owner Shaun Templeton said.

The business faced closure last year after it missed out on Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment funding from its strategic tourism assets protection programme.

Mr Templeton, who was diagnosed with cancer last year, wanted to spend more time with family.

It had been a tough decision to step back.

"I love it out there, it is great, but I’ll still get to follow along with Neil," he said.

The companies had previously worked together, with Elm’s guests having the option to join Monarch cruises, and staff had also worked for both companies.

Monarch Wildlife Cruises owner Neil Harraway said the merger was designed to better equip the businesses for when international tourists returned. The pair predicted a slow summer ahead and expected tourists to return for the 2022-23 summer.

The opening of the transtasman bubble did not bring a boost for the two businesses, Mr Harraway said.

"We typically don’t see Australian tourists here in the winter but we are hopeful by this upcoming summer we might see more vaccinations on both sides and we might see more independent travellers.

"I think this summer is going to be quiet, with no cruise ships, so it makes sense to pull back a bit and get in good shape to be ready when it starts to build up again," he said.

Elm Wildlife tours was in hibernation and would restart tours from October.

riley.kennedy@odt.co.nz

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