When you travel around New Zealand you may notice that many businesses display a Qualmark quality logo. It may not mean much to you at the time but it is incredibly important.

Qualmark is New Zealand’s official quality assurance qualification. Any business that displays a Qualmark sticker has been tested in different categories of assurance; Economic, Social and People, Environment and Culture and Health, Safety and Wellness. Each one of these categories is important to the overall quality of any tourism organisation.

If you see a business displaying the Qualmark logo you can be assured that they have gone above and beyond to create an experience that is of excellent quality and safe for everyone.

Rotorua Duck Tours are proud to display the Qualmark logo and we always strive to be better than we have been before. We have been recognised as providing a high quality experience, right up there with the best that New Zealand has to offer. If you book a Duck Tour you can be assured that you will be getting a high quality experience that is safe and sustainable.

Our vehicles are classified as boats while they are on the water and as such need to pass rigorous testing from Martime New Zealand.

The MOSS certification covers all aspects of operating a commercial boat with passengers and is in place to assure safe practices on the water.

All of our vessels meet the requirements under section 41 of the Martime Transport Act 1994 and Maritime Rule part 19. Every 2 years we are required to undergo new testing to ensure safe practices on the water. We also do independent audits of our operations within those two years to ensure our passengers and crew are safe.

Our Ducks need to be certified to be on the road by the New Zealand Transport Agency. Each Duck requires a new Certificate of Fitness every 6 months to be allowed on the roads.

Our vehicles are over 70 years old and requirements are very strict. We work hard to ensure our vehicles are held to the highest standard and they are as safe, if not more safe than many modern trucks. We maintain the vehicles every day that we use them to ensure everyone is safe on the roads.

Under the guidelines set out by Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) we are committed to moving towards the vision of New Zealand leading the world in sustainable tourism. In order to do this the industry as a whole has to ensure that we are moving forward economically, environmentally and socially. The long term goal or desire is that long term, sustainability will become a core value against which all decisions are tested. This is set to be fully in place by 2025. Rotorua Duck Tours are committed to this goal and will work with TIA and it’s partners to achieve it.

Before our drivers are allowed to take their own tour they must undertake a 6 month training program. This covers all aspects of operating a truck and a boat and everything else involved with this process.

Our drivers go to the Driver Training School in Tauranga to get their Class 2 vehicle license which includes both theory and practical assessment. They must also pass a fit and proper person check with the NZ Police to get a passenger endorsement on this license. They must also get an SRL or Skippers Restricted Limits license which covers all aspects of operating a boat, this goes above and beyond what they would experience on the Ducks. On top of these two licenses they must also get a VHF Radio Operators License, first aid, pass a Crowd Management course as well as in house Duck driving training, communication systems training, Duck safety and emergency procedures, weed and environment management and mechanical competence training.