Despite the rising cost of living, growing fuel prices and ongoing concerns about inflation, the demand for travel still hasn't dropped.

The Auckland Travel Show is on this weekend, and it's clear demand is alive and well, but there are some new trends emerging. 

Founder Rob Eliott says people have redirected their plans - with plenty still planning trips for Asia and the Pacific Islands. 

LISTEN ABOVE

Despite the rising cost of living, growing fuel prices and ongoing concerns about inflation, the demand for travel still hasn't dropped.
The Auckland Travel Show is on this weekend, and it's clear demand is alive and well, but there are some new trends emerging.&nbsp;
Founder Rob Eliott says people have redirected their plans - with plenty still planning trips for Asia and the Pacific Islands.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Best of Business is the home of all things business at Newstalk ZB, from morning market updates right through to incisive interviews with New Zealand’s top business leaders and decision makers. 

Whether you’re a small business owner or interested in what’s going on in the Big End of Town, this podcast encompasses the sharpest voices and minds in the world of business.

Best of Business is the home of all things business at Newstalk ZB, from morning market updates right through to incisive interviews with New Zealand’s top business leaders and decision makers. Whether you’re a small business owner or interested in what’s going on in the Big End of Town, this podcast encompasses the sharpest voices and minds in the world of business.

Best of Business is the home of all things business at Newstalk ZB, from morning market updates right through to incisive interviews with New Zealand’s top business leaders and decision makers.

Best of Business

Rob Eliott: Auckland Travel Show founder on Kiwi demand for travel holding firm

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/68fef84f-2549-4814-b749-b44600122d22/transcript

Questions over whether SpaceX will live up to its colossal share price. 

Shares soared above $160 US dollars as the rocket, satellite and data centre company hit the market yesterday. 

It's sent Elon Musk skyrocketing to trillionaire status - a world first.

Eric Berger, who's authored two books about Musk, says it's still a risky investment for those buying in - partly due to Musk's erratic personality.

"You're betting on the company being able to get Starship, the rocket, flying rapidly and safely - and then build an enormous consolidation of data centres in space." 

LISTEN ABOVE

Questions over whether SpaceX will live up to its colossal share price.&nbsp;
Shares soared above $160 US dollars as the rocket, satellite and data centre company hit the market yesterday.&nbsp;
It's sent Elon Musk skyrocketing to trillionaire status - a world first.
Eric Berger, who's authored two books about Musk, says it's still a risky investment for those buying in - partly due to Musk's erratic personality.
"You're betting on the company being able to get Starship, the rocket, flying rapidly and safely - and then build an enormous consolidation of data centres in space."&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Eric Berger: author and senior space writer on the SpaceX IPO making Elon the world's first trillionaire

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c6e3b1f2-e331-4fdc-8cd7-b468017c8f8e/transcript

Last week, an Ashburton family won 28.6 million in the Powerball draw. Just imagine how overwhelming that must be. We all dream about it, but the reality of managing such a windfall and all that comes with it is more complicated than the fantasy.  

Then this week, the world got its first trillionaire and suddenly getting your head around a huge windfall got even more surreal, and the wealth gap got so much more confronting.  

With the SpaceX float, the public got to invest in Elon Musk’s dream of humans on Mars and data banks in space. The biggest float in history, the shares opened at US$150, then rocketed up to $168 within an hour. This price gave the company a market value of US$2.21 trillion - Musk himself is now worth around US$1.1 trillion according to Forbes. 

A trillion is a thousand billion. These are inconceivable amounts for all of us.  

What’s really interesting about this IPO is that on paper, and using traditional valuation methods, many experts felt the company was overvalued - but these reservations didn’t stop investors from flocking to be part of the dream.  

SpaceX lost around $4.9 billion in 2025, and is trading at around 90-95 times its annual revenue. Many analysts argue its valuation is out of whack with what the business fundamentals support, with some estimates putting fair value at roughly half the IPO valuation.  

So, what does this IPO tell us about investors, about ourselves? It tells us that in this time of uncertainly, economic pressures, and geopolitical chaos, we still love a good story. And man, does Elon Musk know how to sell a good story.

Investors are valuing SpaceX not as a company, but as a platform for multiple future industries. It’s not about its present profitability - there is none, it’s about what it could become. Much like Amazon and Telsa when they were first floated - but super-sized.

This is a story about spaceships, orbital infrastructure, AI computing, and creating a one million person Martian colony. According to SpaceX it’s about saving humanity by establishing other outposts in space, as well as massive AI data centres. And to do all this Space X needs money. Lots and lots of money.  

I quite like that people are buying into this sci-fi future, the Mars shot. It’s ambitious, adventurous, and SpaceX’s vision is much more fascinating than almost all other companies. It’s clear why investors flocked to buy - if you had the chance, why wouldn’t you buy into what could become the defining company of the 21st century.  

And that’s the next interesting aspect of this IPO. As much as investors have shown they have faith in Elon Musk, how well will the share price hold up? If you are keen to invest through the S&P 500 - you will have to wait 12 months. Who knows what the share price will be. I suppose that’s the fun in being an investor.  

LISTEN ABOVE

Last week, an Ashburton family won 28.6 million in the Powerball draw. Just imagine how overwhelming that must be. We all dream about it, but the reality of managing such a windfall and all that comes with it is more complicated than the fantasy. &nbsp;
Then this week, the world got its first trillionaire and suddenly getting your head around a huge windfall got even more surreal, and the wealth gap got so much more confronting. &nbsp;
With the SpaceX float, the public got to invest in Elon Musk’s dream of humans on Mars and data banks in space. The biggest float in history, the shares opened at US$150, then rocketed up to $168 within an hour. This price gave the company a market value of US$2.21 trillion - Musk himself is now worth around US$1.1 trillion according to Forbes.&nbsp;
A trillion is a thousand billion. These are inconceivable amounts for all of us. &nbsp;
What’s really interesting about this IPO is that on paper, and using traditional valuation methods, many experts felt the company was overvalued - but these reservations didn’t stop investors from flocking to be part of the dream. &nbsp;
SpaceX lost around $4.9 billion in 2025, and is trading at around 90-95 times its annual revenue. Many analysts argue its valuation is out of whack with what the business fundamentals support, with some estimates putting fair value at roughly half the IPO valuation. &nbsp;
So, what does this IPO tell us about investors, about ourselves? It tells us that in this time of uncertainly, economic pressures, and geopolitical chaos, we still love a good story. And man, does Elon Musk know how to sell a good story.
Investors are valuing SpaceX not as a company, but as a platform for multiple future industries. It’s not about its present profitability - there is none, it’s about what it could become. Much like Amazon and Telsa when they were first floated - but super-sized.
This is a story about spaceships, orbital infrastructure, AI computing, and creating a one million person Martian colony. According to SpaceX it’s about saving humanity by establishing other outposts in space, as well as massive AI data centres. And to do all this Space X needs money. Lots and lots of money. &nbsp;
I quite like that people are buying into this sci-fi future, the Mars shot. It’s ambitious, adventurous, and SpaceX’s vision is much more fascinating than almost all other companies. It’s clear why investors flocked to buy - if you had the chance, why wouldn’t you buy into what could become the defining company of the 21st century. &nbsp;
And that’s the next interesting aspect of this IPO. As much as investors have shown they have faith in Elon Musk, how well will the share price hold up? If you are keen to invest through the S&amp;P 500 - you will have to wait 12 months. Who knows what the share price will be. I suppose that’s the fun in being an investor. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Francesca Rudkin: What's next for SpaceX and investors?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/597b5855-68f9-4a03-87ad-b468016e5c91/transcript

A lot of investor attention on Wall Street - with Space X heading to market on Saturday.

The debut of Elon Musk's rocket, satellite and data centre company will be one of the most-watched in years.

A chunk of shares will be available in a company that up to now, was exclusive to Musk and a select group of rich private institutions.

Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further.

LISTEN ABOVE

A lot of investor attention on Wall Street - with Space X heading to market on Saturday.
The debut of Elon Musk's rocket, satellite and data centre company will be one of the most-watched in years.
A chunk of shares will be available in a company that up to now, was exclusive to Musk and a select group of rich private institutions.
Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further.
LISTEN ABOVE

Sam Dickie: Fisher Funds expert on what the SpaceX IPO launch means for investors

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/175065da-833c-46c9-890b-b466007f8d7e/transcript

Rob Eliott: Auckland Travel Show founder on Kiwi demand for travel holding firm

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