Go Local! Rotorua couple buy Katoa Lake Rotorua tourism business

Will Scadden and partner Harriet Bailey just bought tourism business Katoa Lake Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner

Buying a tourism business in the middle of a pandemic would not be on the top of the list for many people right now.

However, 25-year-old Rotorua man Will Scadden and his partner Harriet Bailey have gone and done just that.

This week they purchased local jetboating company Katoa Lake Rotorua from long-time owners Ross and Fiona Kelly, saying "there was no better time to buy".

Scadden had worked at Katoa Lake Rotorua since he was 20 years old, learning all the ins and outs over his five years at the business.

Will Scadden and partner Harriet Bailey just bought tourism business Katoa Lake Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner

He had been the operations manager for two years with hopes of one day owning his own tourism business.

As lockdown restrictions came in and business came to a grinding halt, the former Katoa Lake bosses got to take their first holiday in years.

It was then they decided it was time to sell up, retire and move closer to their family in Invercargill.

Scadden jumped at the opportunity to buy the business, saying if he did not make the jump now, he might not get the chance again.

"It had been at the back of my mind for a while," Scadden told the Rotorua Daily Post.

When asked what his partner said when he proposed the idea to her, he said all he got back was a "wow".

However, she quickly jumped on board and resigned from her job to throw herself into the business venture.

"You buy when the business is low and build it up again. Plus we get a chance to learn while it's quiet," Scadden said.

He said he believed right now was just a blip for the industry and it would "have to come back".

About 75 per cent of their business came from domestic tourism anyway, he said.

Rotorua Lakefront before the re-development project began. Photo / File

Queen's Birthday weekend had been the busiest they had ever had, with loads of out-of-towners making the trip, he said.

They ran a special that all kids ride free, which was hugely attractive to families and planned to do the same thing over the school holidays.

"Supporting local needs to go both ways."

The previous owners promised they would be at the "end of the phone" whenever the young couple needed guidance.

"You can't help but be a little scared and nervous to do something like this but we know they will help us through when we need them."

Staffing numbers were small at the business, with Scadden saying he even pulled his sister in to help out when things got hectic.

Katoa Lake Rotorua had previously offered a parasailing option but Scadden said he would not be picking up that side of the business and it was still for sale.

"Once the Lakefront Development is done, it'll be a huge pull for people to come down and check us out."

Interim chief executive of Destination Rotorua Andrew Wilson said new investors were a positive sign of "growing industry confidence" in Rotorua.

"It's good to see new people coming into the sector and we wish the new owners all the best with this great Rotorua product."