When the Wānaka Business Chamber launched a Wānaka version of the popular Monopoly board game in December (2023), it may have been an Englishman who was the most excited.

Neil Scallan (54), who lives near London, is the Guinness World Record holder for the most monopoly sets of different kinds collected, and just before Christmas he approached the Wānaka App seeking a copy of Wānaka Monopoly.

“My favourite part is finding rare sets from abroad that I would most likely never get,” Neil said.

“I now have 4,033 different sets.”

Neil said he was an avid traveller before putting his money into becoming a Monopoly set collector. He began collecting more than 20 years ago while on a trip to New Zealand.

“I have been to Wānaka actually, had a flight in an acrobatic plane,” he said.

“I love aircraft … we did many loops over the lake, it was an amazing flight but I forgot to buy the T-shirt.”

Monique Aitcheson of Paper Plus Wānaka and NZ Post helps Wānaka Business Chamber general manager Glenn Peat post the Wānaka Monopoly Board to Neil Scallan. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Wānaka Business Chamber general manager Glenn Peat said more than 2,600 Wānaka Monopoly sets have sold since becoming available mid December.

“There was a lot of interest for last minute Christmas gifts,” Glenn said.

“Hopefully we’ll get a second wave of people coming to town and wanting the board.”

Profit from the sale of the Monopoly games goes to the Wānaka Business Chamber to be reinvested back into the development of the chamber, he said.

The Wānaka Monopoly Board is available to purchase at selected retailers (Paper Plus Wānaka, Mitre10 Mega Wānaka, The Camp Lake Hāwea) and online.