Tourism company Southern Discoveries is investing in a fleet of state-of-the-art coaches to service new coach and cruise day trips from Queenstown to Milford Sound.

Three new purpose-built, low-emissions Scania 400EB coaches are being constructed by one of New Zealand’s top coach manufacturers to offer excellent viewing, comfort and enhanced safety.

They feature an extra-wide glass roof that makes the most of the majestic alpine scenery on this world-renowned journey, and comfortable reclining seats with plenty of leg room.

The announcement comes as Southern Discoveries celebrates impressive growth, with significant investment over the past eight years in its Milford Sound and Queenstown operations.

CEO Tim Hunter said the company prided itself on its exceptional customer service and was always looking for new ways to improve products and services to enhance the customer experience.

“With visitor numbers to Milford Sound continuing to rise, we’re expecting strong demand for our new coach and cruise day trips from Queenstown,” he said.

“The road to Milford Sound is a tourism experience in itself, and these new coaches will enable us to offer a seamless service from Queenstown, on vehicles and vessels that are purpose-built for sightseeing.

“We’ll provide multi-lingual commentary en route and ensure we have a number of day trip options to suit the needs of a wide range of visitors.”

Southern Discoveries is Milford Sound’s original cruise operator and has been owned by the Queenstown-based Skeggs family since 2008. The company now operates six cruising vessels and has 130 staff members in Queenstown, Te Anau and Milford Sound.

The company’s range of new experiences introduced over recent years include kayaking in Milford Sound, scenic cruises on Lake Wakatipu and cycling and high country farm experiences in Queenstown.

Southern Discoveries will launch its new coach and cruise products from Queenstown to Milford Sound from August 2017.

ENDS