A World Leader In Tourism
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Whale Watch Kaikoura is a Ngai Tahu owned Tourism company which takes people to visit whales in their natural environment off the Kaikoura coastline.
The company's business grew dramatically from small and humble beginnings. In 1987 beginning as Kaikoura Tours Limited, it operated a single 10 seater passenger vessel.
By 1990 this had increased to four vessels, each capable of carrying 12 passengers .
Hard work and committment to quality sevice has resulted in the company winning three international and two national awards, including the prestigious "International British Airways Tourism Award" in 1994
Whale Watch Kaikoura now has two vessels, Wawahia and Makawhiu both capable of carrying 50 passengers. During the period 1993 to 1996 they carried over 40,000 passengers per annum with a 95% success rate for sighting of whales.
The aim for 1997 to 2000 is 50,000 passengers per annum. A large investment in improved facilities and a desire to remain at the forefront of compliance with safety and environmental standards requires a close involvement with the company's solicitors.
Parry Field began working with the company from day one and has assisted with the many and varied legal issues it faced in what was a very new industry. The partnership continues to this day.
Grant Adams at our City Office is the Partner closely involved with the company.
Grant derives particular satisfaction in dealing with a highly professional company that is operating at the forefront of the tourism industry and continually pushing at the cutting edge of the quality tourist experience.
For its part, Whale Watch appreciates dealing with a law firm that is large enough to have expertise in all relevant areas of law on the one hand but is also small enough so that all personnel remain highly accessible.
The ability of Parry Field to maintain a clear understanding of Whale Watch core business and to give prompt and well considered responses to legal issues is important to Whale Watch.
During the period of 1996/97 the company committed over $2.5 million towards the refurbishment of the reservation, retail and restaurant facilities at the Whaleway Station - the old Kaikoura Railway Station.
The foreshore development included children's play area, outside patio and volleyball courts.
The company has also invested in the South Bay harbour facility where the vessels load and unload passengers.
Whale Watch is active in conservation issues. It is currently taking part in two major international research projects. National Geographic is monitoring and identifying the social and food gathering behaviour of the sperm whales off the Kaikoura coast. The Smithsonian Institute is also in the region gathering scientific data on deep ocean trenches and the variety of sea creatures that inhabit these mysterious places.
They are particularly interested in the giant squid and its habits and relationship to the sperm whale.
The Whale Watch trip itself is an unforgettable experience.
"It was a great experience, we were fortunate enough to see a total of seven whales along with other wild life that you would rarely see elsewhere" - Grant Adams, Parry FieldWhale Watch is one of the regions greatest business success stories and Parry Field is pleased to be able to be assist the company by finding solutions, and providing security on the many legal issues it faces as it continues to expand.
