Tours Group

What Tours Group does

Tours Group (also operating as Tours and Attractions Group) is a privately held Queensland tourism company that aggregates five branded experience families across the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast: Aquaduck Gold Coast (established 1996, Australia's first amphibious city-and-river tour), Aquaduck Sunshine Coast (Mooloolaba), Quack'R'Duck (amphibious Surfers Paradise tour, acquired 2000), Paradise Jet Boating (high-speed jet boat rides on the Gold Coast Broadwater), and Southern Cross Tours (ECO Certified hinterland tours through Tamborine Mountain, Springbrook and Lamington National Parks). The group's technical foundation is its proprietary fleet of custom-built amphibious vehicles and purpose-built jet boats, supported by shared engineering, operations and digital infrastructure led by Head of Engineering Andy Cormack and Head of IT & Digital David Abrahams.

The company generates revenue primarily through one-time ticket sales across its five brands via direct-to-consumer websites, walk-up sales at four departure terminals, and a centralised Gold Coast Tour Desk opened in Surfers Paradise in July 2025. A secondary B2B/transaction-fee revenue stream flows through trade partners including hotels, travel agents, OTAs, inbound tour operators, schools, corporate/MICE groups, and event organisers, supplemented by combo-ticket partnerships with attractions such as SkyPoint Observation Deck, Infinity, and iFLY. The group employs 70+ team members and is led by founder and Managing Director Chris Weide, who has operated in Australian tourism since 1989, with long-tenured operational leadership across each brand. The business is privately and founder-owned with no disclosed external funding, and growth has been organic and operations-funded over a 30-year operating history.

Recent strategic activity is concentrated on physical expansion (two new Surfers Paradise visitor hubs opened July 2025), portfolio extension (announcement of Paradise Waterbikes), international visitor development (dedicated S.E.A. and Greater China specialist), and ESG positioning (Reforest partnership and ECO Certification). Southern Cross Tours' ECO Certification by Ecotourism Australia provides regulatory credibility in the hinterland segment, and the group's review profile (4.6–4.9 stars across brands with thousands of Google reviews) reflects strong consumer brand equity.

Name

Tours Group

Legal name

Tours Group

Website

https://toursgroup.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tours Group is a privately held Queensland tourism company operating five branded experience families — amphibious tours (Aquaduck, Quack'R'Duck), jet boating (Paradise Jet Boating), and hinterland tours (Southern Cross Tours) — across the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, serving individual tourists, families, and trade partners through direct, walk-up, and B2B channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour and Activity Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tourist & Sightseeing Cruise Operators (Day Cruises) (TLAFALAF), Marine Wildlife & Birding Cruises (dolphins, seals, seabirds) (THAAAIAD)

Keywords

• Amphibious sightseeing tours
• Jet boat tours
• Guided hinterland tours
• Gold Coast tourism operations
• Family tour experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Surfers Paradise

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tour and Activity Revenues: Tours Group generates revenue through ticket sales for its branded experiences including amphibious tours (Aquaduck Gold Coast, Aquaduck Sunshine Coast, Quack'R'Duck), jet boating (Paradise Jet Boating), and hinterland tours (Southern Cross Tours). All brands offer direct consumer bookings via their respective websites and walk-up sales at departure terminals.
2. Trade and B2B Partnerships: Revenue is generated through partnerships with hotels, travel agents, OTAs, inbound tour operators, schools, corporate groups, and event organizers who book or refer guests to Tours Group brands.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Tours Group operates a portfolio of five branded tourism experiences across South East Queensland, including amphibious city and river tours (Aquaduck Gold Coast, Aquaduck Sunshine Coast, Quack'R'Duck), high-speed jet boat tours (Paradise Jet Boating), and ECO Certified guided hinterland and rainforest tours (Southern Cross Tours). The company sells tickets directly to consumers via brand websites and walk-up terminals, and through trade partners including hotels, travel agents, OTAs, schools, and corporate groups.

Product overview

Tours Group operates a portfolio of five distinct branded tourism experiences across South East Queensland: Aquaduck Gold Coast (established 1996), Paradise Jet Boating, Southern Cross Tours, Aquaduck Sunshine Coast, and Quack'R'Duck Gold Coast. The portfolio spans amphibious land-and-water tours, high-speed jet boating adventures, and guided hinterland/rainforest nature experiences. These brands share common operational infrastructure and marketing under Tours Group while maintaining individual identities, targeting families, tourists, and groups visiting the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aquaduck Gold Coast: Australia's first and finest amphibious adventure offering one-hour city and river tours departing from Surfers Paradise since 1996.
• Aquaduck Sunshine Coast
• Paradise Jet Boating
• Southern Cross Tours
• Quack'R'Duck

Products and services

• Aquaduck Gold Coast Australia's first and finest amphibious city and river sightseeing tour, established in 1996, departing from Surfers Paradise. Combines guided city sightseeing with a scenic cruise along the Gold Coast Broadwater, featuring a splashdown from road to river and live commentary. Designed for families, tourists, and groups visiting the Gold Coast.
• Paradise Jet Boating High-speed jet boat tours on the Gold Coast Broadwater and Moreton Bay Marine Park, departing from Surfers Paradise. Offers thrill-seeking experiences combining 360-degree spins, high-speed turns, and beach buzzing with scenic sightseeing of waterfront mansions, islands, and marine life. Targeted at tourists, families, and adventure seekers.
• Southern Cross Tours ECO Certified small-group guided hinterland tours through the Gold Coast Hinterland, including Tamborine Mountain, Springbrook, and Lamington National Parks. Offers rainforest walks, glow worm tours, wildlife encounters, wineries, and local produce experiences. Targeted at nature tourists, small groups, and travelers seeking eco-certified experiences.
• Aquaduck Sunshine Coast One-hour amphibious tour exploring Mooloolaba by land and water, departing from SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast. Combines coastal sightseeing and city driving with a river cruise along the Mooloolah River, showcasing canals, waterfront homes, and fishing trawlers. Designed for families and tourists visiting the Sunshine Coast.
• Quack'R'Duck Gold Coast One-hour amphibious Gold Coast tour combining Surfers Paradise city sightseeing with a splashdown into the Gold Coast Broadwater. Features a distinctive duck-face amphibious vehicle with onboard family entertainment including a Spot the Difference quiz for children. Designed for families and tourists visiting Surfers Paradise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Aquaduck Gold Coast holds a 4.8-star Google rating from 3,691 reviews
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ReforestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTours Group brands partner with Reforest, an environmental organisation that supports verified tree planting, biodiversity restoration, and CO₂ removal projects. Participating Tours Group brands contribute to Reforest with each eligible booking, supporting independently verified restoration projects across Australia. Live dashboards track the environmental impact as projects mature over time.
• Ecotourism AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTours Group brands operate under Ecotourism Australia's ECO Certification framework, which recognises tourism experiences with strong environmental, cultural and responsible tourism practices. Southern Cross Tours holds ECO Certification through this partnership.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Shotover Jet: Queenstown-based high-speed jet boat operator running adrenaline sightseeing tours — directly comparable experience product and customer segment to Paradise Jet Boating.
• Rottnest Express: Western Australian ferry and tour operator running scenic Rottnest Island transfers and cruises; comparable branded tour-boat model serving inbound leisure visitors with online booking and trade distribution.
• Cruise Whitsundays: Regional Australian tour-boat and cruise operator offering day cruises, island transfers, and sightseeing experiences — a directly comparable multi-brand tourism business model in the Queensland leisure market.
• Fantasea Cruises: Sydney-based harbor cruise and water-tour operator running sightseeing, whale-watching, and charter experiences — comparable business model targeting leisure tourists with branded vessel tours.
• Sea World Cruises: Operates water-based sightseeing and dining cruises departing from the Gold Coast, directly overlapping with Aquaduck and Paradise Jet Boating on the same Broadwater routes and similar tourist customer base.
• Ocean Rafting: Adventure tour-boat operator in the Whitsundays running high-speed, small-group sightseeing tours, comparable in customer experience and adrenaline-led positioning to Paradise Jet Boating.
• Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises: Cairns-based tour-boat operator running day cruises and reef excursions — a directly comparable regional Australian sightseeing tour-boat business serving leisure and trade channels.

Broad incumbents

• Kelsian Group (SeaLink): ASX-listed multi-modal tourism and transport operator (ferries, tours, accommodation) with a much larger footprint across Australia; overlaps with Tours Group in ferry/sightseeing tourism but operates at significantly greater scale and capital depth.

Others

• Experience Oz: Australian tour and attraction marketplace aggregating tour operators for online booking — a key distribution partner/competitor for Tours Group's direct booking channels within the same trade ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Gold Coast Waterbikes: Local water-based recreation operator specifically named as a future Tours Group partner brand (Paradise Waterbikes); overlapping customer segment and Gold Coast Broadwater footprint, though self-propelled rather than guided.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/aquaduckaustralia
• Facebookfacebook.com/AquaduckGoldCoast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tours-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/aquaduck_gold_coast

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Tours Group