Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle Purchases Kayak Company

Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle Purchases Kayak Company

The purchase of a Kaiteriteri kayak and paddleboarding business by water taxi company Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle will give visitors to the Abel Tasman National Park more options during the winter months and enhance employment opportunities in the area.

Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle (ATSS) have just finalised the purchase of sea kayaking company Kaiteriteri Kayaks and Kaiteriteri Kayak Paddleboarding.   ATSS co-owner Keith Knapp says the company will now be able to offer travellers all options for travel and activities in the Park, including water taxis, independent kayak hire, guided kayak trips, guided walks and paddle board hire.

“As a family owned local business we were very keen to see Kaiteriteri Kayaks stay in local hands and we see opportunities to expand and improve the service they have been offering.  We are a year round operation so can now offer kayak and paddle boarding from Kaiteriteri in the winter months meaning we will be able to retain staff year round, which should have an impact on the local economy,” he says. 

ATSS have recently built a customised sea kayak barge which can transport up to 40 kayaks and paddlers to any location within the Park.   Along with the fantastic range of kayaking and stand up paddle boarding experiences Kaiteriteri Kayaks already have on offer visitors will now have many more options for experiencing the Abel Tasman National Park.    

Nelson Tasman Tourism CEO Lynda Keene says she is delighted to hear about the acquisition.

“It allows Kaiteriteri Kayaks to continue in local ownership and is a great opportunity for Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle to provide a year-round Abel Tasman experience for visitors.  We wish ATSS all the best as they integrate the kayak product into their current tourism business,” she says.

Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle is a family owned Abel Tasman water taxi company that operates four ferries from Kaiteriteri Beach near Motueka.  In April this year it won the prestigious Service Quality award (Silver) at the China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market in Beijing in recognition of the company’s efforts to go the extra mile to accommodate Chinese travellers. 

Mr Knapp says he believes kayak and paddleboard hire from Kaiteriteri Beach will appeal to all international visitors including the Chinese who often have limited time to visit the Park.

ENDS

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