Helping Tamariki learn water safety without turning blue

Will and Rose Parsons started Driftwood Eco-Tours out of a desire to share the wildlife and environments they love.

This year, the sustainably-minded pair started tours to Chatham Islands, with a pledge to financially support the Chatham Island Community Swimming Pool upgrade by donating $100 for each guest they brought to the island.

"This is our small way to say thank you to the Islanders who warmly welcome us," says Rose. 

Thanks to the support of their loyal customers, Will and Rose can now donate $2000 this season to help in the covering of the community pool—"So that the local Tamariki can learn water safety without turning blue!"  

The pool trust has kindly said that the pair are free to come and take a dip when they are on tour.

Will says the Chatham Islands had been on their radar for several years as a new offering, as it had been requested by their clients in post-tour surveys.

"It really is one those places you just have to visit if you have a spirit of adventure, a curiosity in natural history and a love of photography," he says. "We recently took a recce to the island and it exceeded our expectations."

You can read about the new tours here.

This story is part of TIA's #TourismChampions campaign. View more inspirational stories here.