Rafting NZ to double operations with Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust partnership

Award-winning rafting company Rafting New Zealand has announced that it has entered into a joint venture with Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust (LRFT) of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

The partnership is the iwi’s first tourism venture as well as being LRFT’s first active tourism investment.

The agreement with LRFT will allow Rafting NZ to more than double in size - from approximately 12,000 customers per annum to 30,000 by year 2022. It will also help the business give visitors the best and most authentic experience possible. There are plans to improve and extend significantly over the coming months to allow Rafting NZ to meet its growth objectives.

Rafting NZ Managing Director and co-founder Luke Boddington explains “LRFT’s involvement will provide a multitude of benefits for customers, Turangi and the Tāwharetoa people.

“It aligns with both Rafting NZ and LRFT’s commitment to investing in the local Turangi community. “(As a result) we’re expecting an increase in customers as a result of our increased capacity and improved facilities (and) that will have an impact on the number of visitors staying and spending in Turangi and Taupo. It will also improve employment and training opportunities for locals. We’re looking to bring on at least 40 additional people by 2022.”

According to LRFT, the hapā saw an opportunity in Rafting NZ to work with a tourism business that is passionate, highly experienced and invested in the good of the New Zealand environment and local communities. The partnership also aligns with the hapā’s goal of having a Maori owned enterprise operating on their river - the Tongariro River, which is located at the southern end of Lake Taupo in Turangi.”

LRFT spokesperson, Tiwana Tibble added “trees, trout and tourism are what we call the three ‘Ts’, which will form a significant part of Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust’s future business strategy. In these three areas we have world class capacity. It makes sense to invest in Rafting NZ, which operates on the Tongariro River. This river connects two significant ‘taonga’ of Tuwharetoa, being the Tongariro National Park and Lake Taupo.”

Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust (LRFT) alongside the Lake Taupo Forest Trust (LTFT) manage a sustainable commercial pine forest of circa 30,000 hectares to the north of Tongariro National Park, and east of Lake Taupo. This is the largest New Zealand-owned commercial forest in the country with a combined balance sheet of $400 million. The Trusts administer these lands on behalf of approximately 15,000 owners, all of whom are Ngati Tuwharetoa.

The Awa Toa Fund, which was set up by Rafting NZ to preserve lakes, rivers and streams for future generations, will be well funded by the boost in Rafting NZ sales, enabling it to make a very real difference both socially and environmentally. One percent of Rafting NZ sales go to the fund, which - among other things - is used to provide local Tāwharetoa with training, qualification and employment. It is also used to plant over a thousand native trees along the banks of the Tongariro River and contributes annually to help maintain the natural environment of one of New Zealand's most rare animals - the Whio (Whistling) Blue Duck.