Suze Kelly has been general manager of internationallyrenowned Wānaka-based mountain guiding company Adventure Consultants for over 25 years, but the last three of these have brought extra challenges. She describes the new world of adventure tourism in our pandemic age.
How did the pandemic affect your business?
Prior to Covid closing the borders in 2020, we had been operating around 30 expeditions a year, plus individual trips in New Zealand and the European alps. We were able to carry on for some time with the support from the government and could operate on a limited basis by following all the health guidelines, but eventually we decided to put AC into hibernation in 2021 and 2022. And that proved a successful strategy, in order to survive and to reinvigorate the company.
And, transitioning out of that hibernation?
We were in constant contact with clients all over the world and tried to keep them informed. Deposits and payments were refunded or offered as credits on future trips. Gradually we were able to commit to opening again, bringing staff back, and being able to actually operate some trips.
We now work from our home offices and that’s a shift in mindset that suits our industry quite well. This has always been a 24/7 type of business.
Are there any regrets about not restarting earlier?
The strategy we chose was definitely correct for us. Our team in Nepal were not confident about operating earlier because, although vaccination rates were building, there was still a lot of Covid around. A separate incident in 2021 during an outbreak was really hard to watch from afar, when some westerners returned home, the locals who were infected went back to their villages and Covid spread.
Even in 2022 it wasn’t straightforward for travel, but certainly the timing felt right. We have well-developed systems and have been operating for so long that a lot of clients are repeat customers.
Adventure Consultants owner Guy Cotter has said the guiding industry would be decimated by the pandemic, because guides would move into other industries. Has this happened?
It has occurred to a degree in some areas. A lot of upcoming New Zealand guides elected to not continue training and took up other careers. I can definitely say there’s only a limited number of New Zealand guides now available. Our response has been to not run as many trips as we used to. Although we’re well known internationally, our approach has always been boutique with small teams.
We focus on training and providing quality logistics.We were never an organisation that pumps out experiences conveyor belt style. Our adventures are more curated, so this development sits well with our philosophy.
What has changed in the industry for the better or worse?
Honestly, I can’t think of any changes that are negative. On our return to Nepal we saw many improvements. The trails have been upgraded, work has been done on a lot of the lodges and accommodations, and people have been educating themselves with more languages. There’s been much thought given to moving forward sustainably, in terms of our resourcing, travelling and freighting. We feel confident and happy to be back doing what we love, with a level of adaptability and flexibility to ensure that we continue delivering great experiences for people. This is definitely a positive industry to be involved in.
