Best Travel and Hospitality Companies in New Zealand
The 120 best Travel and Hospitality companies in New Zealand in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Martin Aircraft Co.
Ranking the best Travel and Hospitality companies in New Zealand by disclosed equity funding, this directory tracks 120 ventures sitting on a combined $53M, with Martin Aircraft Co commanding nearly the whole stack at $52M and Brook Waimarama Sanctuary the only other name showing disclosed capital. That concentration tells you something real about where risk appetite lands in this market.
The global backdrop is moving fast. The sector was valued at roughly $889.7B in 2020 and is forecast to hit $1731.4B by 2025, a 14.2% CAGR that makes New Zealand's relatively modest disclosed funding pool look like a gap, not a ceiling. App-side momentum backs that read: median install growth across 614 hospitality and travel apps is running at +19% YoY, and as shown in 2016 research, digital engagement shapes traveller decisions well before any booking happens. So where's the capital? Investors like Index, AMCIL and Castlerock are active here, but the zero-disclosed-funding count across names like Tourism Holdings and Ace Rental Cars suggests plenty of operators are bootstrapped or privately quiet. One trend worth watching: evolving guest expectations are pushing operators toward weather-resilient planning, and severe weather themes are dominating sector coverage right now, which I'd argue reflects both climate reality and a maturing risk culture across New Zealand tourism.
Ranked: Best Travel and Hospitality companies in New Zealand
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Stage | Founder | Founded | Tech stack | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martin Aircraft Co Develops and manufactures jetpacks. | $52M | 137 mo ago | Late Stage | — | 1998 | — | — |
| 2 | Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Operator of sanctuary | $250K | 96 mo ago | Seed | Ru Collin CEO | 2004 | Cart FunctionalityWooCommerceWordPress+24 | — |
| 3 | Tourism Holdings Provider of recreational vehicle rentals, sales, manufacturing, and tourism experiences | — | 113 mo ago | Public | Grant Webster CEO | 1986 | JavaD3Bootstrap+22 | — |
| 4 | ace rental cars Ace Rental Cars, Ltd. operates as a car rental company. | — | — | Acquired | — | 1987 | October CMSSentryZendesk+23 | — |
| 5 | Active Adventures Provider of hiking & adventure tour and vacation services | — | — | Acquired | Wendy Lieshout CEO | 1996 | AlgoliaYouTubeBootstrap+25 | 2 job openings |
| 6 | advanced flight ltd. Operator of helicopter charter and management services in Auckland, New Zealand. | — | — | Private | — | 1998 | Craft CMSPHPYii+11 | — |
| 7 | Aflex Inflatables Manufacturer of aquatic inflatables including pool toys, water slides, obstacle courses, and other inflatable… | — | — | Unfunded | Martin Sheppard Co-Owner | 1993 | ShopifyApple PayLazySizes+10 | — |
| 8 | Afwt Operator of guided walking tours offered on a donation basis | — | — | Unfunded | — | 2014 | — | — |
Top 3 Travel and Hospitality companies in New Zealand
#1
Seed · Nelson, Tasman · founded 2004$250Kraised▾
Operator of sanctuary
- May 2018Seed$250K
#2
Late Stage · Christchurch, Canterbury · founded 1998$52.5Mraised▾
Martin Aircraft Company develops and manufactures jetpacks for various applications. The company has developed jetpacks that can be flown by a pilot or by remote control. It is equipped with many advanced safety features which include a ballistic parachute that can open as low as 6 meters above the ground. Their prototype 12 has been authorised by New Zealand civil aviation authority for manned test flights. KuangChi Science Limited invested in the company holding approximately 52% of the issued shared capital.
- Jan 2015PE$52.5M
#3
Public · Auckland, Auckland · founded 1986—raised▾
Provider of recreational vehicle rentals, sales, manufacturing, and tourism experiences. The business designs and builds recreational vehicles. It also rents and sells these vehicles. The business delivers to customers across multiple operations. It also has connections into the broader tourism industry and manufacturing sectors. The business represents multiple brands with brand equity and local heritage.
Funding & investor landscape
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Travel and Hospitality coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.