Tour firm goes on the market

The owners of a Bay of Plenty tourism business which caters for over-60s clientele are selling the business - so they can retire themselves.

Ross Macdonald of Waihi has run the Scottsdale Tours business for 18 years. Scottsdale operates fully escorted bus holidays throughout New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.

In February, Ross married his business partner Suzy and together the couple decided to put the business on the market so they can enjoy retirement.

Catering specifically for senior tourists means operating at a more gentle pace than other tours, Mr Macdonald said.

"Our speciality tends to be that we take different routes, we try to keep off the main highways as much as possible and go look in the corners."

The company has a tour itinerary of 16 New Zealand trips, as well as international travel.

"We do about six or seven trips a year to Australia and we do the Pacific Islands as well.

"We've ventured as far as Vietnam, which was the furthest we've been," Mr Macdonald said.

Tours are booked till the end of the year.

The Macdonalds are selling the business as a going concern and are prepared to stay on for a handover phase to help the new owner settle in.

The business is being sold complete with a seven-year-old luxury 40-seater bus and a database of 5000 customers.

Mr Macdonald said once the business is sold he would like to keep touring with his wife in a motorhome, to explore some places they have not yet visited.