6th September 2018 By Staff Reporter | news@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker
The team from Tourism Holdings (and a couple of notable interlopers) with the Supreme Award at the NZ Tourism Awards in Christchurch on Thursday night.
Tourism Holdings Limited has walked away from the 2018 New Zealand Tourism Awards with the industry’s highest accolade, the Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award.
The Auckland-headquartered global group also won the Auckland Airport Business Excellence Award – more than $6m annual turnover – beating competition from Real Journeys and Sudima Hotels & Resorts.
The awards judges said THL, which has annual turnover of $426m, “is a global business that can hold its own on the world stage, an amazing success story and exemplar for New Zealand’s tourism industry.”
The New Zealand Stock Exchange-listed group looks after more than 200,000 customers a year, operating a global recreational vehicle fleet of more than 6000.
Alongside its RV rental and sales operations, it also operates two tourism businesses in New Zealand – Discover Waitomo, including Waitomo Glowworm Caves; and Kiwi Experience, a bus network aimed at young backpackers.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive, Chris Roberts, said creating a tremendous crew culture has been integral to thl’s success, and noted investing in sustainability and innovation, including developing electric motorhomes, “are also priorities”.
In her second major industry win of the year, the awards’ most prestigious individual honour, the Horwath HTL Sir Jack Newman Award, went to Kathy Guy.
Described as a tourism industry trail-blazer, Guy has risen through the ranks from waitress to become one of the first female hotel general managers in New Zealand, successfully leading the Chateau Tongariro Hotel and the Wairakei Resort Taupo.
In July, Guy also won the hotel sector’s most prestigious prize, the Hotel Industry Achievement Award.
She was not the only one to follow-up July’s hotels awards success by winning more accolades at tonight’s gala dinner in Christchurch which was attended by more than 400 industry leaders and supporters.
Les Morgan, director of hotels at Sudima Hotel & Resorts, won the JLT & AIG Tourism Industry Champion Award. This comes after he walked away from the hotel awards with the Hotel Industry Senior Hotel Executive of the Year, sponsored by NZ Sotheby’s International Realty.
Queenstown-based Luke Taylor, general manager of Go Orange –part of the Real Journeys group – was awarded the PATA New Zealand Trust Emerging Tourism Leader Award. He was up against Forgotten World’s Ian Balme, Ross Copland from Ruapehu Alpine Lifts and THL’s Travis Donoghue.
Taumarunui operator Forgotten World Adventures did not leave empty handed however, scooping the NZME People’s Choice Award.
The Westpac Business Excellence Award – less than $6m annual turnover – was taken out by Owen River Lodge, while Kapiti Island Nature Tours received the Department of Conservation Environmental Tourism Award.
Hawke’s Bay Tourism, led by Annie Dundas, was recognised by winning the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment Industry Alignment Award, while Air New Zealand won the epay NZ Tourism Marketing Award.
He Kai Kei Aku Ringa Māori Tourism Award went to Whale Watch Kaikoura and the Great Journeys of New Zealand Tourism 2025 Enabler Award was taken home by Christchurch Airport, and finally, GO Rentals was the recipient of the ServiceIQ Visitor Experience Award.
Roberts said that this year’s awards were extremely competitive, “a reflection of a thriving industry that is contributing $36bn to the New Zealand economy and supporting almost 400,000 jobs in communities throughout the country”.
He added: “Positively, several award winners are from smaller communities, helping attract visitors to areas off the traditional tourist track. It’s also pleasing to see the focus our business winners are putting on environmental and host community sustainability, as well as financial performance.”
Roberts thanked the awards partners, Air New Zealand and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for their support.
MBIE chief executive, Carolyn Tremain, said the Ministry’s tourism policy team works to support the industry to make the biggest contribution it can to New Zealand’s economic success.
“We are really proud to sponsor the awards and celebrate the achievements of the industry. I congratulate all the winners and finalists on their innovative ideas and hard work.”
The New Zealand Tourism Awards 2018 winners:
Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award
Auckland Airport Business Excellence Award – more than $6 million annual turnover
Horwath HTL Sir Jack Newman Outstanding Industry Leader Award
PATA New Zealand Trust Emerging Tourism Leader Award
JLT & AIG Tourism Industry Champion Award
Westpac Business Excellence Award – Less than $6 million annual turnover
Department of Conservation Environmental Tourism Award
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment Industry Alignment Award
He Kai Kei Aku Ringa Māori Tourism Award
The Great Journeys of New Zealand Tourism 2025 Enabler Award
epay NZ Tourism Marketing Award
ServiceIQ Visitor Experience Award
NZME People’s Choice Award
