Sponsorship & Community
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people, it is the people, it is the people. (Maori proverb)
Our guests tell us that it is our people who make their experiences unforgettable. As well as dedicating substantial funds to conservation work in our area, our pledge is to be held in the highest regard by our staff and the communities in which we live and work.
In the past year we’ve donated or helped raise over half a million dollars for a number of conservation and community initiatives.
Key Sponsorships
Birds of a Feather Conservation Ball
The Birds of a Feather Conservation Ball is one of the most lavish events on Queenstown’s social calendar. RealNZ foots the bill for the entire black tie event and 100% of the ticket price goes towards a conservation initiative. Since its launch in 2015, the Birds of a Feather Charity Ball has raised almost $340,000 for conservation.
More than $150,000 was raised at RealNZ's 2024 Conservation Ball to support the translocation of takahē into the Rees Valley.
Pomona Island Charitable Trust
Every coffee counts. At Waiau Street Café, Manapouri, and aboard the Patea Explorer, 50 cents from every coffee helps protect the endangered Haast/Tokoeka Kiwi. Between Oct 2024 and May 2025, our guests have so far raised $14,250 for predator eradication on Pomona and Rona Islands, home to vital conservation efforts. We cruise past Pomona Island daily, but it’s more than a view. It’s a reminder of the work we support and share with our guests. Next time you visit Doubtful Sound, grab a cup, knowing it helps our taonga species thrive.
Click for our 2025 Annual Report
Annual Cruise-for-a-Cause
For the last five years, RealNZ has dedicated its final training cruise of the Milford and Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruises as fundraisers for charitable organisations like the Cancer Society, Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust, Forest & Bird, and Dunedin's Wildlife Hospital. RealNZ provides the overnight vessels, crew, dinner, breakfast and water activities at no cost. Cruise-for-a-Cause has raised almost $300,000 for eleven non-profit groups since 2015.
Read more about our annual Cruise-for-a-Cause results and about the Cause
The Real Journeys Queenstown Winter Festival
RealNZ (formally Real Journeys) is the title partner sponsor of the Queenstown Winter Festival – helping ensure the Queenstown Winter Festival continues to be one of New Zealand’s most iconic events and the southern hemisphere’s biggest celebration of winter.
In 2017, RealNZ stepped in to help out the Winter Festival, sponsoring the Friday Night Party & Fireworks. The following year it became the first local business to step up as naming sponsor in the festival’s 43-year history.
RealNZ continues to be the title sponsor of the Winter Festival in 2020 which runs from 18 – 21 June 2020.
Annual Conservation Expeditions
Each year, RealNZ partners with the Department of Conservation (DOC) and dedicates two of its multi-day Discovery Expeditions to raising awareness and funds for the Cooper Island Restoration Project in Fiordland’s Dusky Sound. RealNZ donates $500 from each ticket. Last year, these raised almost $60,000.
Other sponsorship & community initiatives
- Southland Environment Awards ‘Achiever’s Award’: Every year since 2004, we have sponsored this special award for going above and beyond the call of duty in dedication and commitment to the environment.
- Annual Te Anau Winter Illumination Festival: This festival aims to break up the long dark southern winter with amazing lights and events.
- Lakes District Air Rescue Trust: RealNZ supports this trust which provides 24/7 emergency and rescue aerials over much of the southern region in which we operate.
- Fiordland Trails Trust: The Lake2Lake trail runs alongside Lake Te Anau and the East side of the Waiau river towards Lake Manapouri. A donation will help complete stage two of the trail.
- Stewart Island Rakiura Community Environment Trust (SIRCET): $5 from each Stewart Island Experience Guided Walk is donated to SIRCET, a non-profit organisation that promotes projects that benefit the Stewart Island/Rakiura community and its environment.
Sponsorship Requests
If you would like to apply for sponsorship from RealNZ, please reach out to marketing@realnz.com with details of your fundraiser. All sponsorship is offered in the form of vouchers for our experiences. We will consider sponsorship applications that align to our business principles; primarily
- Conservation
- Education programmes
- Assisting disadvantaged groups
- Health / Rescue
Terms & Conditions:
- At least 2 weeks notice must be given prior to the fundraising (and/or fundraising event).
- Any successful sponsorship recipients of must supply us with photos taken of the fundraising. We have the right to use these images for promotional use (i.e. on social media, media or website).
- Any successful sponsorship recipients of must notify us of the amount of funds raised from your fundraising efforts.
- Please start planning early and send in your application as soon as possible. We receive a large number of applications and have a limited annual allocation.
- All sponsorship applications must be received through our sponsorship form.
- All previous successful applicants need to make sure that you have sent through all information required for any previous sponsorship you have received from us.
