Skyline expands brand portfolio with Totally Tourism purchase

By Idealog, August 30, 2011 @ 10:11 am

Mark Quickfall (left) and Ken Matthews at Skyline Queenstown. Photo: infonews.co.nz

Skyline Enterprises – perhaps best known as the operator of the Gondola restaurant and luge in Queenstown – is to purchase fellow tourism and adventure company Totally Tourism.

The two companies have entered a sale and purchase agreement that will take effect on August 31 should closing conditions be met.

Skyline chairman Ken Matthews said Totally Tourism, which operates iconic sightseeing and adventure brands including Mitre Peak Cruises, Milford Sound Scenic Flights, Challenge Rafting, Harris Mountains Heli-Ski, Air Fiordland, Wanaka Flightseeing and Glacier Helicopters, would make a great addition to the Skyline portfolio.

“The businesses within the Totally Tourism portfolio are well established, strongly branded tourism operations which will allow our company to expand throughout the Aoraki Mt Cook, West Coast, Southern Lakes and Fiordland regions," he said.

"Skyline is about providing world class leisure and entertainment experiences and these companies offer us a range of new opportunities to deliver this promise in the tourism sector,” he said.

Totally Tourism was established in 1999 by Mark and Jackie Quickfall and Matthews said it would continue to operate without any discernible range.

Mark Quickfall would stay on with the company in the key areas of relationship management and strategic direction.

Quickfall said he was comfortable passing ownership to Skyline, which held similar values to Totally Tourism.

“We are confident that Skyline has the resources and skills to take these businesses to the next level,” he said.

Skyline Enterprises, established in 1966, owns Skyline Gondola Restaurant and Luge in Queenstown as well as sister property Skyline Skyrides in Rotorua.