Forgotten World Adventures – which runs railcarts over the disused railway line between Taumarunui and Stratford – seems to be bucking the trend for visitor numbers.
Grant Ross, left, and his wife Laura Wackett with his cousin Sonia Waddell and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Fieldays this year. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The tourism company has recorded better than expected advanced bookings head of the summer season.
A Cambridge couple who have owned the business for two and a half years, Grant Ross and Laura Wackett, say the positive bookings are heartening following a slower than expected previous season.
And now they say they are buoyed-up further having earned a Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Award for the second year running. The award is limited to the top 10 per cent of Tripadvisor listing.
Railcarts have carried tourists along the disused railway line between Okahukura and Stratford since 2012.
“TripAdvisor is by far the largest online travel guidance platform in the world. They have unparalleled authority with travellers and dinners. And they only give these awards to businesses that consistently earn great reviews,” Ross said.
“We had a very good first season and an average past season. That was mainly due to the elections and New Zealander’s relationship with politics – we tend to clamp down and await which government will get in with which policies. As our guests are predominately Kiwi – 72 per cent domestic – 28 per cent international – we felt the effect.”
The business received glowing reviews throughout.
Grant Ross and his wife Laura Wackett with their family.
“In all 88 per cent of our reviews are five star, with 10 per cent star. That’s extremely rare; especially given we have over a thousand reviews,” Ross said.
“This is judged across all categories: restaurants, tourism, ice-cream shops and so forth, which gives it even more weight as we’re obviously talking millions of businesses.“
Ross said despite the recent slowdown things appeared to have completely turned around for next year.
“All indicators suggest we will be having an excellent 2024-25 season. We’re running an Early Bird for the first time, similar to the mountain pass, and it’s exceeded our expectations. We’ll be going into the season on October 12 with many dates already full.
He said there had also been an increase in customers from the South Island.
“We have grown international only slightly since we’ve taken over but are now striking up relationships with in-bounders and overseas agents to increase this going forward.”
Ross said Waikato had taken over from Auckland over the past season as the company’s biggest feeder region – by a whisker
Australia had become its fifth biggest feeder region ahead of Bay of Plenty.
Railcarts have carried tourists along the disused railway line between Okahukura and Stratford since 2012.
