Ngāi Tahu Tourism Limited has applied to the Commerce Commission to seek clearance for itself on the acquisition of “KJet”, a jet boating business, and related assets, including 100 percent of the shares in Time Tripper Limited. Ngāi Tahu Tourism Limited has applied to acquire Kawarau Jet Services Holdings Limited.
Both KJet and Ngāi Tahu Tourism operate jet boating services to tourists in Queenstown, and are owned by Shaun Kelly and the Skeggs Group. The KJet jet boat ride on the Shotover River was the first commercial jet boat operator, and was established in 1958. Time Tripper is the only underwater experience in Queenstown.
Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation Limited, a subsidiary of Ngāi Tahu Charitable Trust, owns Ngāi Tahu Tourism, which operates tourism businesses across both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. In Queenstown, Ngāi Tahu Tourism operates the Shotover Jet and Dart Adventures.
The Commerce Commission said that clearance would be granted to a proposed merger if t is satisfied that the merger is unlikely to have the effect of substantially lessening competition in a market.
