Shotover Canyon Swing

“Each of our jumps has an ‘undies rating for scariness’ and the new Tandem Cliff Jump is rated five out of five, so it’s not a challenge for the faint-hearted!”, laughs Matt Hollyer, Shotover Canyon Swing General Manager.

Wacky names like Indian Rope Trick, Elvis Cutaway and Pin Drop for Shotover Canyon Swing’s  70 plus jumps are all part of creating the visitor experience – a  mix of fun, scariness and personal challenge.

Visitors fling themselves off the edge of a 109m cliff above the Shotover River, either individually or in tandem, freefall 60m at speeds of up to 150kph, then swing out across the canyon.

It’s a high adrenaline experience that has ‘swingers’ coming back for more, says Matt.

“One American couple who ‘swung’ 17 times during a visit last year returned a few months ago and this time took the new tandem swing together – strung upside down then freefalling ‘eyeballs down’.

 “Many of our customers choose to take another swing immediately after their first because each jump is a completely different experience and provides even more stories to tell when they get back home or on Facebook.”

Social media complements the company’s marketing mix.

“We like making friends with our customers as part of our service experience and having an ongoing relationship with people after they’ve been to the swing is something we aim for – this hopefully helps the virtual word of mouth advertising message within the customer’s network of friends.”

During the winter Shotover Canyon Swing gets loads of Australians seeking fun adventures, partying and skiing in Queenstown. The summertime clientele is the traditional backpacker traveller from across the world.

A fundraising special during the autumn shoulder season is an annual event.

“This year we offered $15 extra swings with all money donated to  NZ Heart Children. It’s a genuine win-win-win situation. Booking agents love promoting the special deal for a good cause, customers feel good about it and have fun at the same time, and staff like contributing to the community.”