Despite the global economic shake-up of the past three years, Queenstown's reputation as the adventure tourism capital of the world is growing.
A major new face on the scene since 2008, Ziptrek, a flying fox tour with an environmental twist, has tourists flying through the Ben Lomond forest while learning about Queenstown sustainability in between ziplines.
Ziptrek, an international company with operations in Whistler in Canada and San Francisco in the United States, opened in Queenstown in December 2009 after a long resource consent process.
Consent was opposed by Skyline Enterprises.
It is now operating with the four-line "Moa" and six-line "Kea" tours, featuring the steepest zip-line in the world, and Queenstown owner-manager Trent Yeo said it was time for consultation and consolidation.
"We are never really standing still for long. We have a lot of ideas for the future, but right now we are working on making sure that the Ziptrek experience is something that people go home and talk about."
Zipline filled what Mr Yeo saw as a gap in the Queenstown adventure tourism industry for people who "don't want something that is going to make their stomach drop", but still appealed to their sense of adventure.
The next challenge for Ziptrek and the industry as a whole was to step up to the international tourism market, and its changing clientele.
For those who preferred their adrenaline with a jet engine, the past three years has also seen new entrant Thunder Jet providing thrills on the Kawarau River.
Duncan Storrier, spokesman for Queenstown Water Taxis Ltd, which trades as Thunder Jet, said the company had bought a boat in August 2008, and was "getting ready to use consent we had been granted".
However, a two-and-a-half-year legal challenge by rival Kawarau Jet halted its commercial operations until the start of this year, when the Environment Court confirmed it could resume.
"Things are going very well since we started," Mr Storrier told the Queenstown Times from Japan. "Of course, every passenger is new business for us so we are pleased with the numbers we are getting, even with slower tourist numbers." The lengthy objections to its consent had been time-consuming and unnecessary, "but, finally, tourists have a choice now that there are two operators providing jet-boats rides out of the bay".
Queenstown Water Taxis plans to work on growth, service and safety, including adding boats to service the tour bus market.
"The new scheduled water taxi service should be noted as a major new water-based transport service for Queenstown that we expect will grow into more routes and options."
Change was also afoot at the Shotover Canyon Swing, where the company in August 2008 introduced tandem jumpstyles, making it the highest tandem jump without a trained professional alongside.
Shotover Canyon Swing general manager Matt Hollyer said that during its annual fundraising events over the past three years, customers had been encouraged by staff and booking agents to give more than $20,000 to charity.
This year, that included more than $10,000 for Mt Pleasant Primary School, Christchurch, one of the seven worst affected after the February earthquake.
"Into the future, we'll keep inventing and testing new styles for launching off the top of a cliff, whether they are just for the indulgence of fun by staff or can be shared with everyone else, we'll just have to see what happens."
Finally, an overview of changes in the Queenstown adventure tourism scene would not be complete without looking at the company which started it all, AJ Hackett Bungy.
AJ Hackett chief executive Michelle Trapski said 2008 started with the company celebrating its 20th birthday and had not slowed since.
"It's been a great three years for us. There have obviously been a lot of challenges but a big thing for us was opening the Nevis Swing, now the world's biggest swing."
Additional to that, the company has undergone a "major technology overhaul" over the entire company, building an "open area network" that includes all three bungy sites - Kawarau, the Ledge and the Nevis.
"Our sites are all obviously quite remote, and were without the power, mobile and web links to keep up with the demand of customers to have at the moment access to things like photos."
The company had plans for more "passive" adventures, with a resource consent application pending for four 150m zip lines of their own at the Kawarau Bungy Base.
The $1.5 million-plus multi-person ride would be aimed more at groups, families and the emerging Asian market.
And it is focusing on different markets, with European backpacker numbers down over the past 18 months.
While the Australian market remained "paramount", it was places such as China which would become increasingly important, with AJ Hackett working closely with Tourism NZ to help develop relationships.
"It's a real challenge to keep our business levels up, so we are working harder than ever to maintain our place in the market.
"Our vision for the future is to continue to innovate, keeping the culture of innovation at the heart even when times are tough."
