Skydive the Beach, already the largest tandem skydive operation in the Southern Hemisphere, is extending its footprint into New Zealand with the acquisition of NZone Skydive and Skydive Paradise now complete.

It is the first international business aquisition for the skydive operation that started in Wollongong 16 years ago.

It means Skydive the Beach Group is now able to operate in Queenstown.

It already has 16 drop zones in Australia.

The ASX (Australian Stock Exchange) confirmed on Friday that the deal between Skydive the Beach Group (SKB) and Skydive Queenstown Group is now finalised.

It is a strategic move for Skydive the Beach because Queenstown is such a popular international travel destination.

The Skydive Queenstown Group is itself a significant operation.

During the last financial year it conducted more than 23,000 tandem skydives.

And the Williams family, one of the two Skydive Queenstown Group founders, will retain an interested by acquiring SKB shares in lieu of a NZ$500,000 cash consideration.

SKB chairman Beerworth described the acquisition as an important step in the group’s strategic expansion.

Mr Beerworth said it was a significant milestone in Skydive the Beach’s penetration into the international adventure tourism and leisure market.

Skydive the Beach was founded by chief executive Anthony Boucaut in 1999 and the tandem jump business has been growing on average around 30 per cent a year.

It has grown to the point where in the present financial year it expects to make over 130,000 skydives.

The company offers a complete range of skydiving services to the public, agents and media including tandem skydiving, night skydiving, and helicopter jumps as well as courses and skills development courses.

Skydive the Beach Group has has more than 370 staff and contractors and owns 26 aircraft.