Kiwiana Tours

What Kiwiana Tours does

Kiwiana Tours 2009 Limited is a privately held, founder-owned New Zealand tour operator incorporated in 2009 and based in Auckland, with a registered office in Red Beach. The company runs a guided tour portfolio across both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, serving two distinct customer segments in parallel: high school students aged 14-17 (including international students studying at NZ schools) and adults and university students aged 18 and over. The product surface spans approximately 17 fixed itineraries organized into one-day tours (Coromandel, Hobbiton/Hamilton Gardens, Waitomo Glowworm Caves/Kiwi House, Horse Riding/Sheep World, Winery Tour), two- to three-day weekend tours (Rotorua/Taupo, Bay of Islands, Mt Maunganui), and extended multi-day expeditions (South Island 11-day and 15-day packages), plus a Customised Tour module for groups of two or more.

The underlying technology is a WordPress/WooCommerce e-commerce site at kiwianatours.com, integrated with Stripe for PCI-DSS compliant payment processing and Jotform for parental permission workflows for the high school segment. The booking site enforces age-based access controls separating adult and high school catalogs. Operations rely on third-party Qualmark-accredited activity operators (bungy, skydiving, rafting, Maori cultural experiences, Hobbiton) and partner transport and accommodation providers, with Air New Zealand as a recommended return-flight partner for South Island tours.

The business model is direct-to-consumer one-time tour sales, priced per person with pay-as-you-go billing. Pricing ranges from NZD $160 for a one-day Coromandel tour to NZD $3,300 for the 15-day South Island high school tour, with most one-day tours in the NZD $160-NZD $280 band and weekend tours around NZD $320. Go-to-market is website-led direct booking supplemented by phone, email, school partnerships for student tour groups with school pickup locations, and organic social/word-of-mouth referrals. The team is small and owner-operated by Dave Ovenden and Catherine, with all team members first aid certified. The company holds Qualmark accreditation and operates under the NZ Code of Practice for Pastoral Care of International Students when serving international student groups, which functions as a regulated barrier to entry for the international high school segment.

Name

Kiwiana Tours

Legal name

Kiwiana Tours 2009 Limited

Website

https://kiwianatours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kiwiana Tours is a founder-owned New Zealand tour operator running guided one-day, weekend, and multi-week tours across the North and South Islands for two segments: high school students aged 14-17 (including international students) and adults aged 18 and over, sold direct-to-consumer via a WooCommerce booking site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour Operator Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational & Student Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA), Student & Youth Educational Tours (THAKAGAA), Domestic/In-Country Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAL), Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Guided tour services
• Adventure tourism
• Small group tours
• Educational student tours
• New Zealand sightseeing

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tour Package Sales: One-time tour bookings with per-person pricing. Tours include transport, accommodation, meals, and activities. Optional paid activities available as add-ons during tours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kiwiana Tours is a New Zealand-based tour operator that sells guided one-day, weekend, and extended multi-day tours of the North and South Island for two segments: high school students aged 14-17 (with parental permission workflows and pastoral care compliance) and adults aged 18+. Each tour package bundles coach transport, accommodation, meals, and activities (with optional paid add-ons such as bungy jumping, skydiving, and white water rafting), and is sold directly through an online booking system with Stripe payments.

Product overview

Kiwiana Tours is a New Zealand-based tour operator offering a portfolio of guided tours for two distinct segments: high school students (14-17 years) and adults (18+). The product portfolio spans one-day tours (Coromandel, Hobbiton/Hamilton Gardens, Waitomo Glowworm Caves/Kiwi House, Winery Tour), weekend tours (Rotorua/Taupo, Bay of Islands), and extended multi-day tours (South Island 11-day and 15-day packages). The core offering is a WooCommerce-based booking platform that manages tour schedules, availability, and payments. Tours are guided by New Zealand-based staff, incorporate both included activities and optional paid extras, and are conducted in compliance with New Zealand's Code of Practice for Pastoral Care of International Students. The company is owned and operated by Dave Ovenden and Catherine Ovenden, with operations based in Auckland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• South Island 15 Day Tour (High School Students) Extended 15-day tour of New Zealand's South Island for high school students (14-17 years), departing and returning to Auckland. Includes accommodation in lodges, hostels, and holiday parks, all transport, ferry crossings, 14 breakfasts, 10 dinners, 2 lunches, Milford Sounds cruise, Abel Tasman kayaking, hot pools, and major South Island attractions.
• South Island 11 Day Tour (High School Students) AKL-CHC 11-day South Island tour for high school students departing Auckland and finishing in Christchurch. Includes 10 nights shared accommodation, breakfasts, jet boat ride in Queenstown, Milford Sounds cruise, Abel Tasman kayaking, hot pools at Lake Tekapo, and visits to glaciers, Punakaiki rocks, and Marlborough Sounds.
• Bay of Islands 2 Day Weekend Tour (High School) 2-day weekend tour to the Bay of Islands for high school students, featuring forest walks, Kauri trees, waterfall visits, Russell Ferry ride, and optional activities including dolphin watching and the Hole in the Rock tour.
• Rotorua, Taupo 2 Day Weekend Tour (Adults) 2-day geothermal and adventure tour to Rotorua and Taupo for adults (18+), featuring Government Gardens, Lake Rotorua, Huka Falls, optional bungy jumping, skydiving, white water rafting, Maori cultural experiences, and Polynesian Spa.
• Rotorua, Taupo 2 Day Weekend Tour (High School Students) 2-day weekend tour of Rotorua and Taupo for high school students featuring geothermal attractions, Wai-O-Tapu, Huka Falls, optional bungy jumping, skydiving, white water rafting, Maori village experience, gondola and luge, and Polynesian Spa.
• Rotorua, Taupo, Mt Maunganui 3 Day Long Weekend Tour (Adults) 3-day extended weekend tour for adults visiting Rotorua geothermal attractions, Taupo, Huka Falls, Mt Maunganui surf beach, Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, and including Polynesian Spa mineral hot springs.
• Coromandel 1 Day Tour (High School Students) Single-day tour of the Coromandel Peninsula for high school students featuring Hot Water Beach where visitors can dig their own thermal hot pools, Cathedral Cove, and Hahei Beach.
• Coromandel 1 Day Tour (Adults) One-day Coromandel Peninsula tour for adults featuring Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove, Hahei beach, optional kayaking, and water taxi services.
• Hobbiton & Hamilton Gardens 1 Day Tour (High School Students) One-day Lord of the Rings movie set tour from Auckland for high school students, visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata (1250-acre working farm) and Hamilton Gardens international garden complex.
• Hobbiton & Hamilton Gardens 1 Day Tour (Adults) One-day Lord of the Rings movie set tour from Auckland for adults, visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set and Hamilton Gardens with a guided tour, Green Dragon Inn visit, and complimentary beverage.
• Kiwi House & Waitomo Glowworm Caves 1 Day Tour (High School Students) One-day tour for high school students visiting the Waitomo Glowworm Caves with underground boat rides and the Otorohanga Kiwi House to see live kiwi birds and native New Zealand wildlife.
• Kiwi House and Waitomo Glowworm Caves 1 Day Tour (Adults) One-day tour for adults to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves featuring the Glowworm Grotto boat ride and the Otorohanga Kiwi House wildlife sanctuary.
• Horse Riding and Sheep World (Adults) One-day tour for adults featuring horse riding through rural farmland and forest near Warkworth, plus a visit to Sheep World farm to see sheep and other farm animals.
• Winery Tour & Muriwai Beach 1 Day Tour Adults-only (18+) one-day winery tour visiting three award-winning New Zealand vineyards for wine tasting with platters, followed by a brewery visit and Muriwai Beach. Valid ID required for alcohol consumption.
• Bay of Islands 2 Day Weekend Tour (Adult) 2-day weekend tour of the Bay of Islands for adults, featuring ancient Kauri trees, Hundertwasser Toilets, Russell Ferry ride, Paihia beach, and optional activities including dolphin watching and the Hole in the Rock tour.
• Customised Tour Customised tour packages for groups of two or more, arranged to suit specific dates, budgets, and preferences. Available for both high school and adult segments.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stripe InccoreTechnology or IntegrationSecure credit card payment processing system. Stripe is certified under EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework. All credit card payments processed by Stripe; KTL does not store credit card numbers.
• Activity Operators (Hotels, Airlines, Activity Providers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party activity operators including bungy jumping, skydiving, white water rafting, and cultural experiences. All activities are Qualmark accredited.
• Air New ZealandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecommended airline for return flights from Christchurch to Auckland after South Island tours. KTL can arrange flights on behalf of customers for $20 administration fee.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• EF Educational Tours: Global operator of educational student tours including New Zealand programs. Comparable in serving the international high school student tour segment and competing for school partnerships and Code of Practice-compliant delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Contiki: Global escorted tour operator for 18-35 travelers with strong NZ itineraries. Comparable in escorted coach tour format and adult-student crossover, though much larger and broader geographically.
• Intrepid Travel: Global small-group adventure tour operator with multiple NZ itineraries including adventure, cultural, and 18-35 options. Comparable in guided small-group tour product, though operating at significantly larger scale globally.

Regional players

• Hobbiton Movie Set Tours: Official tour operator at the Hobbiton film set in Matamata. Comparable as a NZ attraction-led tour operator, though Kiwiana acts as a downstream reseller bundling Hobbiton into its own multi-day packages.
• Real Journeys: NZ-based operator of scenic cruises and tours (Milford Sounds, Doubtful Sound, Stewart Island). Comparable as a domestic NZ attraction-based tour operator; Kiwiana bundles Real Journeys' Milford cruise into its South Island itineraries.

Direct peers

• Kiwi Experience: New Zealand-based guided coach tour operator running multi-day North and South Island itineraries for backpackers and young travelers. Highly comparable as a domestic NZ tour operator using coaches and hostels, though focused on a different age segment than Kiwiana's student skew.
• Flying Kiwi Adventure Tours: NZ-based adventure tour operator running multi-day guided tours including mountain biking and hiking. Comparable in multi-day guided NZ tours with optional adventure add-ons.
• GreatSights New Zealand: NZ day-tour and multi-day coach operator serving both islands with similar attraction mix (Rotorua, Waitomo, Hobbiton). Direct competitor for Kiwiana's day and weekend tour products.
• Stray Travel: NZ tour operator offering hop-on, hop-off and guided small-group tours across New Zealand. Comparable in itinerary scope, group size, and direct-to-consumer booking model.
• Haka Tours: NZ-based small-group guided tour operator running multi-day itineraries across both islands. Directly comparable as a domestic NZ escorted coach tour operator with similar duration offerings and attraction mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kiwiana-tours

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Kiwiana Tours