How NZ Became an Apocalypse Escape Destination

In Queenstown – a picturesque ski spot that often attracts comparisons to Aspen, Colorado – rumours about foreigners investing in apocalypse-proof bunkers have been swirling for years, CNN correspondent Julia Hollingsworth writes.

They’re referenced by local real estate agents: One recent listing advertised a house as a “billionaire bunker” for someone on a budget, for example. And there’s even a local bar called The Bunker, a seemingly tongue-in-cheek reference to the bulletproof boltholes, Hollingsworth writes.

“We don’t sell fear. We sell preparedness.”

That’s the claim American bunker builder Rising S makes on its website, where it advertises “preparedness” as mini-compounds that can feature functioning kitchens, restrooms, solar-powered electricity and surveillance – starting from around $39,500 and running into the millions.

“Everybody wants their own personal touch to it, just like building a house,” said general manager Gary Lynch, adding that the company has sold approximately 1400 bunkers in its 18-year history. “They’re looking for something to protect their families, something that’s self-sufficient something that they can live in for a prolonged period of time.”

This year alone, Lynch expects to sell around a dozen bunkers to New Zealand – which would double the firm’s total sales ever in the country, which have mainly been to American buyers.

Original article by Julia Hollingsworth, CNN, July 17, 2020.

Photo by Connor Jalbert.