Sub experience gets tourist approval

Dives at the site commenced early last month and CEO Philip Mladenov says the company is operating four dives a day, but this will increase to five in the middle of January and seven in February, as more staff are trained.

Each dive costs $495 in peak hours and $395 at off-peak times.

Mr Mladenov says tourists from a range of countries have taken to the water so far and the feedback on the experience has been very positive.

"People love the fact that they are in a submersible, and they are also very interested in the marine life."

Mr Mladenov says there is only one other place in the world where people can experience an underwater dive like the one at Milford Sound, and that is at Grand Cayman.

Submarines Australasia has recently put in place a bank provided debt financing and is planning to build staff quarters at Milford Sound to house staff.

There are currently six field staff working in the area but the company is seeking planning permission to build and eight-bed facility, with construction due to start in either April or May.

The company also has resource consents to operate submarines on Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown with plans to operate that service by 2003.

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