The Fine Tours Group

What The Fine Tours Group does

The Fine Tours Group is a privately held inbound tour operator headquartered in Wanaka, New Zealand, that designs, packages, and sells customised travel experiences across New Zealand and Australia to international visitors and global travel agents. Founded in 2004 by David and Kerry Kettle as New Zealand Fine Touring, the company rebranded to Fine Tours Group in 2024 to unify its trans-Tasman operations under a single corporate identity while preserving a portfolio of 11 specialised sub-brands spanning luxury (Fine Tours NZ, Discover New Zealand), self-drive, guided coach tours, ski, road trips, budget travel (Thrifty Tours), and cross-Tasman itineraries (Pure Journeys, Inside Australia Travel).

The business is tech-enabled on an Azure/React/Cloudflare stack with a proprietary CRM and travel management platform called Trev that integrates booking, itinerary, and customer data across the multi-brand portfolio. Two B2B platforms, nzsidekick and ozsidekick, allow global travel agents to self-serve and book custom itineraries, supported by a dedicated Trade Engagement team of Relationship Specialists and Business Development Managers. The underlying supplier network spans more than 2,000 partners across accommodation, activities, and transport in both countries.

Fine Tours Group earns revenue primarily through commissions and transaction fees on travel bookings arranged for both direct consumers (B2C) and trade partners (B2B), with quote-based, bespoke pricing rather than standardised rates. Ownership is shared among boutique investment firm Evergreen Partners, director Greg Muir, and the original co-founders David and Kerry Kettle, and the company maintains offices in Wanaka, New Zealand and on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Name

The Fine Tours Group

Legal name

Fine Tours Group

Website

https://finetoursgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Fine Tours Group is a privately held New Zealand-based inbound tour operator that designs, packages, and sells customised travel experiences across New Zealand and Australia through 11 sub-brands, serving international visitors directly and global travel agents via its Sidekick B2B booking platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inbound Tour Operator / Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land (487110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure & Outdoor Local Operators (Trekking/Safari/Diving) (THAKAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAE), Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA)

Keywords

• Inbound tour operator
• Bespoke travel planning
• Travel trade platform
• Self-drive itineraries
• Guided coach tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Wanaka

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Travel Package Sales & Commissions: Fine Tours Group earns revenue through commissions and transaction fees on travel bookings. As an inbound tour operator, they arrange flights, accommodation, activities, transportation and insurance, earning commissions from suppliers. Their B2C sales generate revenue from arranging comprehensive travel itineraries, while B2B partners (travel agents) use their Sidekick platforms to book, with the company acting as the operator.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fine Tours Group is the parent company for 11 specialised travel brands delivering bespoke, tailor-made travel experiences across New Zealand and Australia, including guided coach tours, self-drive itineraries, luxury trips, ski holidays, road trips, and budget travel. The company serves both international consumers (B2C) through its brand websites and global travel agents (B2B) through its Sidekick booking platforms (nzsidekick and ozsidekick). It bundles flights, accommodation, activities, transportation, and insurance from a network of 2,000+ suppliers, earning commissions and transaction fees on each booking.

Product overview

Fine Tours Group operates a multi-brand portfolio platform offering personalised travel experiences across New Zealand and Australia. The portfolio comprises 11 distinct travel brands spanning self-drive adventures, guided coach tours, luxury bespoke experiences, budget-friendly options, ski packages, and road trip planning, plus two B2B platforms (nzsidekick and ozsidekick) for travel agents. The company serves international visitors through retail channels and travel trade partners, providing end-to-end journey planning, booking management, and on-ground support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sidekick: B2B booking platform for travel agents to create and book custom itineraries for Australia and New Zealand

Products and services

• Discover New Zealand Premier New Zealand travel brand under Fine Tours Group creating personalised tours for international visitors to New Zealand.
• New Zealand Self Drive Tours New Zealand self-drive tour brand offering travellers the freedom to explore at their own pace with self-drive itineraries and tailored routes.
• New Zealand Coach Tours Guided coach tour experiences allowing travellers to see the best of New Zealand without the hassle of driving.
• Fine Tours New Zealand Luxury tours brand focusing on bespoke, high-end New Zealand travel experiences.
• Thrifty Tours New Zealand Budget-friendly brand focusing on affordable New Zealand travel experiences.
• Ski New Zealand Ski and snowboard holiday packages in New Zealand ranging from beginners to professionals and families.
• NZ Road Trip Specialised road trip planning service for creating perfect self-drive journeys around New Zealand.
• nzsidekick B2B platform enabling travel agents globally to create and book custom New Zealand itineraries using FTG's supplier network.
• Inside Australia Travel Premiere Australia brand specialising in high-quality Australian holiday packages and touring experiences.
• Pure Journeys Cross-country tours for travellers looking to explore both Australia and New Zealand in a single itinerary.
• ozsidekick B2B platform enabling travel agents globally to create and book custom Australian itineraries using FTG's supplier network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Comprehensive support from initial enquiry through return home
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Tourism Industry AotearoaminorOthersIndustry association membership providing employee benefits including Resene, Bunnings Warehouse, Officemax discounts, plus ski & mountain bike passes and discounted travel insurance for staff. Membership enables FTG to offer additional perks to employees as part of their benefits package.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Helloworld Travel: Large Australian retail travel agency and wholesale tour distributor with significant Australia and New Zealand holiday product. Broader incumbent with retail network but competes with FTG for the same inbound traveler bookings through B2B and B2C channels.
• Intrepid Travel: Large publicly listed adventure-tour operator headquartered in Australia with extensive NZ/Australia product. Broader incumbent offering small-group experiential tours globally, but a relevant comparator for FTG's guided and adventure itineraries in the ANZ region.
• Globus family of brands: Major global escorted-tour group (Globus, Cosmos, Avalon) with established Australia and New Zealand itineraries sold via travel agents worldwide. Larger incumbent offering overlapping product distribution through similar B2B agent channels.

Direct peers

• Contiki: ANZ-rooted youth-focused guided coach-tour operator with strong NZ and Australia itineraries. Comparable to FTG's escorted-coach and small-group offerings, particularly for international visitors seeking structured multi-country tours.
• AAT Kings: One of Australia's largest guided-coach tour operators offering multi-day itineraries across Australia and New Zealand. Directly comparable to FTG's NZ Coach Tours and broader escorted touring portfolio, serving international visitors with similar commission-based supplier arrangements.
• Viva Holidays: Australian-based inbound tour operator specializing in customized Australia and New Zealand holiday packages. Directly comparable business model - bespoke B2C and B2B itineraries across the same two countries with overlapping supplier networks.
• Inspiring Vacations: Australian-headquartered tour operator offering fully escorted and tailored Australia and New Zealand itineraries for international visitors. Comparable product breadth, customer segment, and inbound-DMC model to FTG.
• Australian Pacific Touring (APT): Premium Australia and New Zealand tour operator offering fully escorted and luxury itineraries. Closely comparable to FTG's luxury brands (Fine Tours NZ, Discover NZ) on premium escorted touring, with overlapping supplier networks and similar inbound positioning.
• Bunnik Tours: Australian small-group tour operator specializing in guided itineraries across Australia, New Zealand, and beyond. Comparable to FTG's escorted-tour portfolio with similar international-customer focus and comparable scale.

Others

• Tourism New Zealand (industry body): National tourism marketing organization that promotes New Zealand as a destination and partners with inbound operators including FTG. Not a competitor but a directly relevant ecosystem participant shaping inbound demand to FTG's core market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-zealand-fine-touring-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Fine Tours Group