Business South May 2021

| 3 TOURISM Heritage Expeditions Expedition Co going back to its roots T Karen Phelps “It was our early exploration of these rarely visited and remote ice-carved mountains, verdant forests and winding fiords rich in wildlife, conservation and New Zealand history which inspired our dream for responsible travel.” C hristchurch based Heritage Expeditions has gone back to the roots the company was originally established on – servicing the domestic market. It was Covid-19 that led the company to offer a Kiwis only season and company direc- tor Aaron Russ who owns the company with brother Nathan says they have been pleasant- ly surprised with the level of support the New Zealand market has shown. “Business is challenging; it’s definitely not at the pre-Covid level. But we’ve had some good insights into what Kiwis want,” he says noting that normally up to 90% of business is from overseas travellers. In its latest offering the company is return- ing to where its legacy began with the release of four new voyages bound for the remote coves, inlets and into the heart of Fiordland aboard 18-guest expedition yacht Heritage Explorer from July. Commercial Director and Expedition Leader Aaron Russ said the New Zealand fami- ly-owned and operated company pioneered expedition cruising back in 1985 with its intimate explorations of Fiordland with just five guests. “It was our early exploration of these rarely visited and remote ice-carved mountains, ver- dant forests and winding fiords rich in wildlife, conservation and New Zealand history which inspired our dream for responsible travel,” said Mr Russ. “My brother Nathan and I grew up explor- ing Fiordland’s untamed wilderness and can’t wait to share its primordial majesty with new generations of adventurers aboard Heritage Explorer .” The new 5, 7 and 10-day expeditions will explore iconic destinations along with remote coves and inlets only accessible by sea includ- ing Preservation Inlet, Dusky and Doubtful Sounds, Acheron Passage, Chalky Inlet, Milford Sound and more. The new voyages join the recently an- nounced Marlborough Sounds and Abel Tasman expeditions with upcoming itineraries including Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Islands and Stewart Island to be released shortly. With government permission Heritage Expeditions’ 50-guest vessel Spirit of Enderby/ Professor Khromov operated a Kiwis-only Southern Ocean programme this season. Aaron says it was a huge commitment, gamble and challenge to bring its vessel to New Zealand but they took the punt that Kiwis would want to explore their backyard and it’s paid off. Voyages have taken Kiwis to some of New Zealand’s most remote, far flung places includ- ing all five of New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands including the Snares Islands, a group of islands located 60 miles south of Stewart Island that many will never have heard of. “There are world leading wildlife experienc- es right on our doorstep. “A lot of New Zealanders have not been aware of the opportunities so close to home and have been astounded,” says Aaron likening the wildlife spotting opportunities to the Galapagos of the South Pacific. Penguins, albatross (New Zealand is the world centre of albatros diversity, he says), sea lions, elephant seals and a range of rare birdlife are just some of the wildlife people can expect to see on various tours. Aaron says the plant life is also unique with “megaherbs” growing on Subantarctic islands that have evolved to be four to five times larger than species found on mainland New Zealand. Founded by Aaron and Nathan’s parents, Rodney and Shirley Russ, Heritage Expeditions was formed in 1984 as a way of increasing awareness and conservation of the natural world through responsible expedition travel. Rodney was a biologist working for the New Zealand Wildlife Service. Through his work on endangered species he appreciated that rather than locking wilder- ness areas away, it was important to share them with people so that they might become ambassadors advocating and supporting conservation efforts. Each expedition cruise is small with up to just 50 guests to give a personal experience while at the same time minimising the impact of the visit. Heritage Expeditions usually operates its own Polar Research vessels on expeditions to Antarctica, the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia, through Indonesia and Melanesia, and the Russian Far East. Aaron says they are planning to take tours in Russian waters for locals over there, a new 18-berth super yacht Heritage Explorer is being added to the fleet, which will focus on domestic coastal voyages and plans are also underway for another southern season in 2022 targeted at Kiwis and possibly Austral- ians dependent on what further curveballs Covid-19 throws. Flexibility has been key and will remain so for some time but Heritage Expeditions is focused on keeping its business operational and its talented team employed so that when the borders re-open the company can hit the ground running and meet pent up demand. Heritage Expeditions has announced four new voyages bound for the remote coves, inlets and into the heart of Fiordland. Logistic and Warehousing Solutions www.southport.co.nz Island Harbour, Bluff 9814, New Zealand | +64 3 212 8159 Proud to support Heritage Expeditions