The Alexandra tour coach operator hopes a one-day train-and-coach tour of the Maniototo in December could be the start of weekly Dunedin hinterland tours tapping into growing demand for southern South Island visitor experiences.
"I have a passion for the Maniototo, its fantastic scenery and big blue sky," Mr Pratley, who grew up in the Maniototo, said.
"The area is largely untouched by tour operators, but when people go there they love the place.
"Christchurch's awful problems could be to Dunedin's advantage."
For the past 18 years, Mr Pratley has been a tour coach driver throughout New Zealand.
He has owned his own coach for seven years.
To trial his plan, he is organising a one-off, day-long tour of the Maniototo on December 2 using the Taieri Gorge Train and his coach.
The train will take passengers to Middlemarch where they will board the coach.
Stops during the day will include a high-country alpine garden, curling in Naseby, and the art deco museum in Ranfurly.
The coach will return to Dunedin via the Pigroot.
"I think this first one will suit Dunedin people wanting to get out for the day," he said.
Feedback from that tour will be used to determine the viability and content of future tours promoted to domestic and overseas visitors.
"Should it be successful, I think from next year we could be running once a week through to the end of autumn.
"Christchurch is not what it used to be but we have so many places of interest down here," he said.
"There is a lot to offer in the Otago region."
Amie Pont, who is Project Maniototo co-ordinator, said it was "great that Alan is planning to bring his coach into the Maniototo".
"There's still a surprising amount of people who don't realise how to get to the Maniototo ...
Any way we can encourage visitors to spend some time exploring our slice of true rural New Zealand is fantastic."
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton, said Mr Pratley was offering "an attractive itinerary" in a "magnificent area".
"It's a wonderful opportunity to test it out and see how it goes."
