Shotover Canyon Swing lands OutdoorsMark

The world's highest cliff jump has picked up a New Zealand outdoor safety certificate for its award-winning, undie-staining, rope-swinging experience.
Queenstown-based Shotover Canyon Swing was awarded the OutdoorsMark New Zealand (ONZ) certification after flying through an advanced safety-focused systems audit. The audit checks four core assessment areas (procedures, people, equipment and activity areas) against currently accepted outdoor sector best practices.
General Manager Matt Hollyer said the company was quick to register for the OutdoorsMark as a means to confirm that its operation exceeded required safety standards.
Hollyer explains "the safety of thrill-seekers comes first at Shotover Canyon Swing because this is not your average backyard swing. People hurtle at 150 km/ph through a canyon from a cliff-top platform, so it's crazy, but really safe stuff.
"It was natural for our team to be proactive in getting our operation and its delivery tested and measured vigorously against industry best practice.
"As a result of having this OutdoorsMark weï¾re now able to show our assurance of safety and quality to both our staff and the wider public."
OutdoorsMark was designed by the New Zealand outdoor sector specifically for the New Zealand outdoor sector and so provided a comprehensive assessment that gives risk management assurances to both the operator and adventure-seeker.
OutdoorsMark was established in 2004 by ONZ, the lead organisation supporting and representing outdoor recreation and education in New Zealand.
ONZ has been heavily involved in the recent Adventure Tourism Review and has worked alongside Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIANZ) since 2009.
The OutdoorsMark was launched in 2004 as the independent process for assessing the robustness of operational safety policies, procedures and practices of outdoor recreation and adventure tourism operators.
Operators who have been certified with OutdoorsMark are representative of carrying out the best possible safety practices.
OutdoorsMark Programme Manager Garth Gulley said the certificate was valid for a period of three years, and that it was tremendous to see high-profile adventure tourism companies such as Shotover Canyon Swing working hard to raise safety standards.
"At present they are one of only a small group of adventure tourism operators in Queenstown to be awarded an OutdoorsMark," Gulley explained, adding "we look forward to many other adventure tourism companies and outdoor recreation operators completing an OutdoorsMark audit ï¾ whether due to forthcoming changes in legislation or for additional benchmarking of in-house standards."
In addition to being OutdoorsMark certified, Shotover Canyon Swing holds certification under the Department of Labour's Amusement Devices Regulations, is a Qualmark-endorsed visitor activity and has a Qualmark enviro-bronze award for its sustainable practice.
For more information New Zealand's OutdoorsMark program follow the link below

http://www.outdoorsnz.org.nz/cms_display.php?sn=177&st=1