Latest news with #WhakapapaHoldings
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Mount Ruapehu ski season officially opens this long weekend
Whakapapa ski field, Mt Ruapehu, 2023. Photo: Supplied/ Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Thousands of skiers, snowboarders and sightseers will head up Mount Ruapehu this long weekend, with both skifields now officially open. This will be Whakapapa's first season under new operator Whakapapa Holdings , and chief executive Travis Donoghue said 10,000 people were expected to take advantage of good weather and early snow. "For us, June is a bonus... particularly with Matariki weekend. Folks tend to start thinking of a winter way, so really start to come out in large numbers from today onwards." Meanwhile, Tūroa Ski Area was expecting more than 2000 visitors over the long weekend. Tūroa is also now being run by a new company, Pure Tūroa , after Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, which oversaw both skifields, went into insolvency in 2022. Both Whakapapapa Holdings and Pure Tūroa have been granted 10-year Department of Conservation (DOC) concession to run their respective skifields. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
30-04-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Whakapapa ski field prepares for season ahead
Photo: Unsplash / Matthew Buchanan Whakapapa ski field has joined Turoa in moving out of the hands of the receivers with a 10-year concession being granted by the Department of Conservation to the operator Whakapapa Holdings. Both ski areas on Mount Ruapehu had faced an uncertain future when the operator, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts went into voluntary administration in 2022. The decision is being welcomed in the region, that has been hit hard economically with the close of two local wood and pulp mills. The government has provided nearly $50 million to keep the field functioning to support jobs and businesses. DOC has acknowledged how important the area is to all New Zealanders, especially the iwi and hapū who whakapapa to the maunga and said it will monitor the ski field to ensure it was running smoothly. Kathryn speaks to Whakapapa Holdings Shareholder Director and CEO Dave Mazey who was the former head of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts.
