The big corporate last week announced it is closing its tourism businesses, including Shotover Jet and Glenorchy’s Dart River Jet, “for the time being”, due to Covid-19’s toll on tourism.
More than 300 jobs are likely to be lost.
Queenstowners Heather and Trevor Gamble, who owned Shotover Jet for 16 years, till 1986, accuse Ngai Tahu Tourism of caring only for the bottom line.
“They’re not looking after Queenstown or their staff,” says Trevor, who turned Shotover Jet into a thrilling, iconic jetboat ride.
“They’re not helping the regeneration of tourism.”
Heather says they were “devastated” to hear the news.
“I think I cried.
“It was our baby, our lives, our family, everything.
“Queenstown helped us, and we helped Queenstown.”
In contrast to today’s owners, Heather says they never thought about giving up.
“We had really tough times.”
“Other [jetboat] operators I’ve spoken to around the country, they want to get going in Level 2, and they’ll survive.”
Black says he admires how Ngai Tahu Tourism has invested into both local jetboat operations over the years, and their safety track records.
But he’s upset so many experienced staff face losing their jobs.
He notes Shotover, in particular, stands to lose drivers uniquely trained to boat the hazardous Shotover River canyons.
“They do 120 hours’ training, the [industry] rule is 50.”
Recommencing operations, if those drivers aren’t around any longer, won’t be easy, he says.
Also lost is at least $500,000 Shotover pays the local council each year in return for exclusive rights to boat this stretch of river.
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Comments
Come on, do the Gamble's serious expect anyone to care what they think? Whose bottom line where they thonking of when the sold the business? It was our baby, our lives. Complete tosh, it was a money making venture that made them millions.
If it was so good buy it now and keep all the people employed, if not, then just go away and count your loot.
These two built the Shotover Jet from a 4 trip a day ride into a multi- boat dawn to dusk activity. They worked so hard. When they started there was one little boat. Pretty soon there was transport to the river, several boats, a large office, many many staff. Vocal people who came after them take some credit but it was the Gamble's vision that made it a world renown tourist attraction. Shame on you Nga Tahu - you could have kept a skeleton service available. You have acted like a carpet bagger.
$500,000 Shotover pays the local council each year in return for exclusive rights to boat this stretch of river, why so much?
I read recently in one of the former ODT articles that the upper Shotover river rights were closer to a cool million. Anyway regardless, perhaps its time some of the local private jetboats get to have a wander up the river with restricted speed limits. The river should belong to the people other than companies like Nga Tahu. Lets make change for the better New Zealand.
Nag Thu is a charitable organization which doesn't pay any tax.They have an distinct advantage over every other operator.You would think they could stomach things in harder times. It was reported they had a Billion in cash assets..Greed.
The fewer boats zooming at speed there the better...
Wow talk about harsh replies! Why shouldn't the Gamble's have sold their business? They sold it long before Ngai Tahu bought it. They certainly shouldn't have been condemned for it! Do you realise how much their business is responsible for the profile of Queenstown as a tourist destination? I worked for Shotover Jet in the 80s and it was one of the few really great tourist attractions at that time.
If anything should be questioned I think it's the longer term plans by Ngai Tahu? Are they closing so that they don't have to pay staff and planning to open again in the summer? That would be very disappointing.
That part of the river is very dangerous and untrained people 'wandering' up there would be a recipe for disaster. Shotover Jet has an amazing safety record and shouldn't be penalised with 'it's not fair' types of statements. They employ a lot of people and they bring a lot of tourists - also helping with employment for Queenstown.
I'm saddened by the resentful, poorly informed criticisms.
Philip Chandler needs to give some credit to the Melhop brothers who started Shotover Jet, i had my first trip back in the 70s, and before he picks on Nga Tahu, why doesn't he start with Air New Zealand, who the tax payers have had to bail out in the past, why would he think that any company would just run empty boats along a river with Air NZ bringing no tourists? So Phil, go get some real news, like the reports that Jacinda ignored from Professor Knut Wittkowski, who is more qualified on pandemics than any of the so called advice she took before she stuffed our whole country.