Protecting the environment at the heart of our home

Love Queenstown is a giving platform that invites our visitors and visitor industry to support the protection and regeneration of the environment at the heart of our home.

Established in 2023 as part of the region’s destination management plan, Love Queenstown raises funds and awareness for local environmental action. In its first 12 months, Love Queenstown – together with partner-initiative Love Wānaka – raised over $80,000 to support grass roots environmental efforts, planted over four and a half thousand native trees with hundreds of industry volunteers, and connected numerous visitors to local volunteer opportunities.

Now, Love Queenstown is expanding its partnership opportunities – opening the initiative up to the wider business community and providing the opportunity for businesses big and small to make a difference to the environment we love.

Love Queenstown Impact Grant recipients 2024

In July, three local organisations received grants totalling more than $25,000 in the inaugural Love Queenstown funding round. In addition to Love Queenstown’s Annual Impact Grants, 20% of all funds raised are invested in an endowment fund with support from Love Queenstown’s charitable partner, the Wakatipu Community Foundation. This fund will grow over time, enabling long-term funding opportunities into the future.

Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, Slope Hill Restoration
The Whakatipu Reforestation Trust (WRT) is on a mission to restore native biodiversity in the Whakatipu Basin through native revegetation, education, and advocacy. With 90% of native vegetation already lost in the Queenstown Lakes, the Reforestation Trust aims to empower the community to regenerate this one-of-a-kind environment.
The project funding from Love Queenstown will support the Trust’s ongoing restoration efforts at Slope Hill where tens of thousands of trees are to be planted this Spring.

Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Skies Group, Rees Valley Conservation
The Tāhuna-Glenorchy Dark Skies Group will soon receive its designation as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary – one of only 21 in the world. The Group’s mission is to preserve the Dark Skies and to care for the biodiversity within the Sanctuary. This funding kickstarts the Group’s conservation efforts, with a project based on acoustic data-monitoring to identify native short-tailed bat habitats in the Rees Valley. Targeted conservation efforts will then ensure this taonga (treasured) species can thrive in its environment.

Whakatipu Wildlife Trust, Pest Eradication
The Whakatipu Wildlife Trust drives predator control efforts throughout the Queenstown Lakes, representing an important and unified voice for wildlife in the Whakatipu Basin. With over 35 critically endangered species throughout this area, their work is vital for the protection of our region’s biodiversity.
The funding from Love Queenstown will further support the Trust’s efforts to create and maintain a predator-free environment in the Whakatipu Basin, enabling native wildlife to flourish.

Love Queenstown Partners

Love Queenstown provides the opportunity for our industry to come together and leave a legacy we can be proud of. Here’s how three local businesses are joining the mission.

Skyline Queenstown
As a proud member of Love Queenstown’s Impact Partner Programme, Skyline has committed to an annual funding partnership and receives an additional accolade as a member of the “Founding 50” – recognition of the first 50 businesses to support Love Queenstown in this way.
“Skyline Queenstown is incredibly proud to be among the Founding 50 of the Love Queenstown Impact Partner Programme. This initiative provides a great opportunity for local businesses to accelerate the positive impact we can all have on the Queenstown Lakes environment. We look forward to seeing the real and tangible benefits our collective efforts will bring to the region”. (Wayne Rose, GM Skyline Queenstown).

Ziptrek Ecotours
Ziptrek partnered with Love Queenstown for their most recent local’s day, with half of all ticket sales donated to Love Queenstown. “We were thrilled to have partnered with Love Queenstown for this event, raising over $4,000 to support the protection and regeneration of our environment. This initiative underscores our commitment to sustainability and conservation in Queenstown-Lakes, ensuring we contribute positively to our community and natural surroundings. Our local’s days provide the opportunity to share our special part of the world with those who live here, and this one was extra special as it provided the opportunity to give back to the very environment that makes it all possible” (Trent Yeo, Ziptrek Exec Director).

Rifters Gin
Rifters is a small boutique distillery making a big impact. With sustainability at the heart of every bottle, Rifters forages for botanicals locally using only the freshest ingredients for its gin and vodka varieties. Now, the team at Rifters is giving back through the recently released Rifters Arrowtown Vodka, with every bottle sold supporting climate, conservation and biodiversity projects in the region.
“Inspired by the thyme-scented breezes of the region and pristine glacial waters, we’re proud to say each bottle of Arrowtown Vodka will give back to the land with a portion of sales supporting the Love Queenstown Community Fund.” (Philip Riley, Rifters General Manager)

How to join the mission

Building a strong purpose into your business – and backing it up with tangible action – is more important now than ever. But it’s not only a win for the environment, it’s a win for your business, too.

Every dollar Love Queenstown raises is pooled for collective impact, so no matter the size of your business or your contribution, your support drives meaningful mahi (work) that will make a real difference to this place, now and into the future.

Here’s how your business can support Love Queenstown:

Become an Impact Partner
Sign up to Love Queenstown’s newly-launched Impact Partner Programme, committing 1% of your business’ annual proceeds (or a total of $10,000 or more) to support local environmental efforts. It’s simple, convenient, and most importantly, impactful.
Be among the first of Love Queenstown’s Impact Partners and receive additional recognition as a member of the Founding 50, solidifying your reputation as a business that goes above and beyond for our environment.

Donate to Love Queenstown
Become a monthly donor or make a charitable donation as and when you can. Every dollar raised goes towards protecting and regenerating Queenstown’s environment. Love Queenstown’s grants are allocated exclusively within this region, giving life to the organisations and initiatives who know this place best.
All donations are eligible for charitable tax benefit and will support the collective effort to protect this special place.

Spread the word
Display Love Queenstown assets or donation cards in store or use your online presence to connect your customers with opportunities to donate or lend a hand. It’s the telling of a new story about how to visit Queenstown and inspires the type of travel that we hope to see going forward.
Reach out to the team to request your Love Queenstown asset pack.

Invite your guests to contribute
Make the first move by adding a donation onto the cost of your product or experience, suggest a voluntary donation at the point of sale, or encourage donations in lieu of tips or booking bonuses.