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Jeroen Jongejans

This site started out about Jeroen and his rohe Tutukaka, in Northland.

JJ passed away suddenly whilst paddle boarding in the Tutukaka Harbour on the 21st February 2022. He left a heap of broken people in this town, and around our motu, and his passing was sudden and tragic. He had a lot left to do, and he was one of those amazing people you just thought would be around forever. It still is a shock to think he is not going to pop in for a coffee any minute, or return from some adventure and regale us with tales.

I designed this site for him, to showcase his passion for his community, his whanau, and why he wanted to stand for NRC. It now stands for something else. It stands for who he was and what he has left behind.

His Legacy.

xox

Background

Originally from the Netherlands, in a small boating town called Sneek, I have been here for almost 40 years. I spent nearly 40 years living on the Tutukaka Coast

• Boatbuilding & Engineering

• Teacher at Tikipunga High

• 27 years in business Dive! Tutukaka

• Sinking 2 Navy ships as artificial reefs

• Promoting full Marine Reserve status Poor Knights Islands

• Destination management and development

Been on:

• BOT Ngunguru School

• Tutukaka Resident and Ratepayer association (9 years)

• Tutukaka Coast Promotions (Chair)

• Northland Tourism Development Group, (7 years,Chair)

• New Zealand Underwater Association (President 4 years)

• Northland Sustainable Business Group (Chair)

• Northland Conservation Board (9 years, Vice Chair)

• Northland Inc Board, 5 years (Vice Chair)

• Whangarei District Councillor, Councillor (3 years)

• Whangarei District Council Tourism Trust (4 years)

• Northland Chamber of Commerce (10 years)

• Tourism Industry Aotearoa, 9 years, (Vice Chair)

• NZ Tourism Trust (6 years)

• Sustainable Seas National Challenge stakeholder panel (3 years)

• Patron of the Tutukaka Coastguard (10 years)

Achievements

• Grad Dip Business.

• Recipient of 

  • Life Membership NZ Underwater

  • Leo Ducker Award

  • Northland Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame Inductee 2015

  • New Zealand Tourism Industry Champion 2015

Over 20 times finalists and Winners Awards for Dive! Tutukaka from 2004 onwards including:

• Northland Chamber of Commerce Supreme Business Award

• NZ Tourism Supreme Award

• PADI Asia South Pacific Supreme Diving Company Award

• 3 times Regional Winners for Northland/Auckland WestPac Growth Grants

• Qualmark and Sustainable Business Awards

• Conservation Awards

About

I have been a long time resident on the Tutukaka Coast, running Dive! Tutukaka which recently celebrated its 22nd year in business. My partner and soulmate Kate and I work together at Dive! Tutukaka, Perfect Day and Lodge9, are passionate locals, and live in Tutukaka. We have built a valley of love, and an amazing platform to facilitate opportunities and growth for our coastal rangitahi.

I originate from a small town, known for its sailing, in the north of Holland, Sneek, part of Friesland, and have been in NZ since 1979.

I have two step-daughters, Bex is a lawyer in Melbourne, and Esther, based here in Tutukaka. My son Tristan and his wife Sarah, have two children, a daughter Adelyn and a son Tommy, who was born two weeks after I passed away.

I am known for my positivity, my honesty, and my energy.

Media

TOURISM TICKER JUNE 2019

Dive! Tutukaka’s Jeroen Jongejans on 27 years in the diving business, the environmental sustainability challenges, and the importance of a commitment to destination development.

SUSTAINABLE SEAS CHALLENGE MAY 2019

Jeroen Jongejans represents the Aotearoa New Zealand marine tourism industry on Sustainable Seas Stakeholder panel. We asked him his thoughts on the Challenge’s progress to date

NEW ZEALAND BUSINESS MARCH 2017

Northland has its share of high performing tourist businesses. Many have been around for a long time.

Dive! Tutukaka is one such business. Founded in 1999 by diving buddies Aussie Malcolm and Jeroen Jongejans, the vision then was to be the best dive operator in New Zealand.

TOURISM CHAMPION OCTOBER 2015

The Champion Award recognises tourism professionals who demonstrate business excellence and industry leadership.

Judges said Jongejans was recognised as he ran a high-profile, successful Northland business and had been involved in the industry at many levels.

TECHWeek 2018

Land and Water Innovation Showcase highlights opportunities for Northland, Jeroen was a panelist.

WDC Councillor 2010-2013

A Blog during a role of WDC Councillor

As a District Councillor 2011

Jeroen as Hatea Hub supporter and the opening of the new bascule bridge in Whangarei.

Auckland Airport Travel Summit Presentation 2016

An annual one day event focused on gaining insights into the eminent future growth in tourism for New Zealand. The country’s capacity and seasonal trends were discussed, together with industry leader’s insights into what tourists are looking for when visiting our shores. We learnt how successful enterprises have adapted their products to meet increasing demands, particularly with the introduction of new airline partners and availability of more routes. Some of the tourism industry's most knowledgeable operators shared their strategies on creating long-term and sustainable propositions for their businesses.

Dive! Tutukaka is NZ's largest dive operator running snorkeling, sightseeing and dive trips out to the Poor Knights Islands, NZ’s best dive site; highly ranked by Jacques Cousteau, rated the Top Wonder in Northland, best sub-tropical diving in the world and pending World Heritage Status, the Poor Knights Islands have rich cultural heritage and marine biodiversity.

The friendly professional crew delivers the ultimate in customer service, an unmatched safety record, internationally recognised achievements in sustainable business practice, and environmental awareness, including Enviro-Gold Qualmark.

Current BHAG? To go Carbon Neutral.

Perfect Day Ocean Cruise caters for the non-diver, with an interpretative eco-tour of the Poor Knights Islands involving sightseeing, kayaking, snorkeling, and SUP.

Lodge9 boutique accommodation, with a unique up-cycled and philosophical touch. With six en-suite rooms, on-site salt-water pool, nestled in a private valley, inside the Heart of Tutukaka.

Ask me a question

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07.07.58 - 21.02.22

Feature 1

Jeroen’s Service was filmed and live streamed for the Dutch whanau, and those who were unable to attend. COVID made everything difficult, and over 650 live streamed whilst 350 were in attendance and spaced out through the Courtyard here in Tutukaka viewing and listening on screens and audio in different spaces in the valley.

Jason Morrison Public Tributes and filmed Service here

Feature 2

Herald Coverage Sudden Death of Legend of a Man

Feature 3

Northland’s Tourism Titan Jeroen Jongejans Northland Advocate

Tributes

X-Ray Magazine

A relentless driving force behind the Poor Knights Marine reserve, leaving one hell of a legacy. Clarke Gayford, 'Fish of Day' presenter

Northern Advocate

Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai has known Jongejans for most of his time in the district and said he was a staunch and passionate advocate for Tutukaka, the district, Northland and New Zealand as a whole.

Tourism Ticker

“Shockwaves are still being felt throughout Tai Tokerau Northland as we all come to grips with the loss of one of our own in the industry, Jeroen Jongejans. An inspiration, mentor, leader, businessman, champion of a good cause, networking extraordinaire and all-round good guy, he has done so much for so many and we are all so lucky to have known him. Tania Burt, Northland Inc

Dave Moran

I first met Jeroen in my capacity as editor and owner of Dive New Zealand magazine back in the early1990’s. What immediately hit me was his PASSION for the Poor Knights Islands and the coastal areas around Tutukaka. We would have long discussions over the phone or a cup of coffee about ways of promoting the Knights as a world class diving destination, and how to protect the marine environment. His commitment to the welfare of the marine environment was undisputed.

simon mitchell

There is a generation of divers who have had the dive of their lives in a beautiful fantasy world that he helped preserve, and a generation of Northland children in love with its wonders through JJ and Kate’s generosity. There are Northland business owners who had their start with D!T and who are now running their own highly successful ventures, and all of this is still there for all of us as we dive into the future. What a legacy!

Mike Davis

I’m finding it hard to think about Jeroen without including Kate. They were such an amazing partnership, both in life and in creating a superb company in Dive!Tutukaka. I had a 55-year diving career all over the world with many diving enterprises – Dive!Tutukaka was my gold standard; few reached Jeroen’s and Kate’s exacting standards.