The best way to sight-see
A business serving up food and natural beauty in the beautiful Bay of Islands needs a new owner, reports Catherine Harris.
After 20 years of operation, a Bay of Islands institution is on the market. Darryl’s Dinner Cruise is a family-run business, which has something of a monopoly as the only dinner cruise operator in Paihia.
The service began as a twilight cruise but lunch and bespoke cruises were soon added to its range, and it has become popular with tour groups and for weddings or Christmas parties.
Operated by Darryl and Shelley Honey, the business was a great opportunity for a hospitality-minded person who wanted to capitalise on the popularity of cruises, Bayleys agent Meredith Graham said.
‘‘Business is manic while cruise liners are in town.’’
The key asset is a purpose-built floating venue named ‘Ratanui’, which measures 16.5 metres in length and has capacity for 55 passengers.
It is currently the only commercial boat charter which takes guests to the famed Haruru Falls – a rare horseshoe-shaped waterfall billed as one of the town’s biggest scenic attractions, and New Zealand’s first inland river port.
Guests are generally told to allow up to two-and-a-half hours for the return journey which takes them up the Waitangi river, showcasing the area’s natural beauty and birdlife. Diners are served a two-course meal of Kiwi delicacies such as mussels, fresh fish and lamb.
The business currently holds a four-and-a-half out of five-star rating for its services on respected tourism website tripadvisor.com
Currently, it charges between $68-$98 for adults, $25-$35 for children under 15, with those under five going free.
Graham said there was expansion planned for the area through developments like the new ‘Te Kongahu’ Waitangi Museum and the Queenstown Resort College’s new Northland campus for tourism training.
Comprising 144 different islands, the Bay of Islands are some of the busiest waterways in New Zealand.
The cruise sector has doubled over the past five years, generating an estimated $543 million dollars of economic value across the country.
Graham said Paihia was widely regarded as ‘the jewel of the Bay of Islands’, and was expecting 60 major vessels for the 2016-2017 season, which added up to more than 90,000 individual visitors.
The business already had key contracts with several leading inbound operators including Grandpacific Tours and Flight Centre.
‘‘Darryl’s is positioned well to benefit from the tremendous growth potential of the cruise industry,’’ she said.
Potential was there to expand on the business’s reputation and client base, or to add to the fleet, as growing number of groups visited Paihia’s shores for yacht races, food and wine festivals.