Tourism Industry Awards 2008 finalists

Media Release
From naturist park to WOMAD – Tourism Industry Awards 2008 finalists
26 May 2008

Many different sectors within the tourism industry are reflected among the finalists for the 2008 Tourism Industry Awards, announced today at TRENZ 2008 in Rotorua, the major tourism industry business event of the year.

In a mix of previous entrants and businesses new to the Awards programme, the finalists represent some of the industry’s biggest operators such as Air New Zealand (entering their Grabaseat programme) to those responsible for training young tourism professionals – Travel Careers and Training Ltd.

“We need strong, high performing businesses in all facets of our industry. All aspects of these finalists’ businesses have been closely scrutinised by a panel of industry judges – and these finalists have more than made the grade,” Tourism Industry Association (TIA) Acting Chief Executive Oscar Nathan says. “They are leading operators in tourism and provide great role models for other businesses to aspire to.”

One of the key outcomes of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 (www.nztourismstrategy.com) is that we must ensure a sustainable future for tourism in New Zealand. This year’s awards include a significant requirement for entrants to demonstrate sustainability in all areas of their business activity, along with having efficient, effective and profitable business practices.

The winners, who will be announced at the Tourism Industry Awards Celebration dinner in Christchurch on 5 August, will be the very best New Zealand has to offer.

Furthering the Awards’ commitment to business excellence is the alignment of the Awards programme to Qualmark from 2009. The Awards will remain as business excellence awards based on the Baldrige criteria, but in addition a Qualmark rating or endorsement will be required for all entrants where applicable.

“In 2007, all Tourism Industry Awards winners who were able to be Qualmarked already were, as are most of this year’s entrants,” Mr
Nathan says. ”It is critical that the Awards programme supports New Zealand tourism’s official quality agency. The Qualmark licence demonstrates a quality New Zealand product, ensuring that the Awards winners’ branding reflects both a quality business and an outstanding visitor experience.”

The Awards are managed by TIA as agent of the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust and are supported by key industry members as well as a number of business partners: Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Telecom, Westpac, Philips, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Budget Rental Cars and Trucks, Department of Conservation, Villa Maria, Green Globe, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Horwath. Visit www.tourismawards.co.nz for more information.

The full list of Awards Finalists by category and by region is attached.

Key statistics about tourism:

• Tourism is the world's fastest growing industry
• New Zealand tourism arrivals have increased by 61% since 1999 to 2.4 million
• Forecast annual growth is 4% on average for at least the next five years
• Tourism is New Zealand's single largest export sector. International visitors contributed $8.3 billion dollars to the economy in the year ended March 2006. That is 19.2% of exports
• Domestic tourism contributes $10.3 billion to the economy each year
• Tourism directly and indirectly employs 10 percent of the work force. That is one in 10 jobs in New Zealand.
• Tourism represents 8.9% ($12.8 billion) of gross domestic product and generates $531 million in GST returns from international visitors each year. Tourism is the only export sector whose international clients pay GST.

Tourism Industry Awards 2008 – Finalists

BUSINESS AWARDS

Tourism & Transportation Services

Tourism Distribution
Tourmasters South Pacific (NZ) Ltd
www.tourmasters.co.nz
Auckland

Tourism Service Provider
Kiwi Discovery Ltd
www.kiwidiscovery.net
Auckland

Travel Careers and Training Ltd
www.travelcareers.co.nz
Auckland, Wellington

Visitor Transport
Magic Travellers Network
www.magicbus.co.nz
Auckland

Pacific Blue Airlines
www.flypacificblue.com
Christchurch

Visitor Accommodation

Boutique
Stafford Villa
www.staffordvilla.co.nz
Auckland

Budget
Nomads Capital
www.nomadscapital.com
Wellington

Holiday Park
Katikati Naturist Park
www.katikati-naturist-park.co.nz
Katikati

Waihi Beach Top 10 Holiday Park
www.waihibeach.com
Waihi

Hotel and Resort
Grand Mercure St Moritz
www.stmoritz.co.nz
Queenstown

Holiday Inn Wellington
www.holidayinn.co.nz
Wellington

The Langham, Auckland
www.langhamhotels.co.nz
Auckland

BUSINESS AWARDS CONT

Visitor Activities and Attractions

Adventure
Hukafalls Jet
www.hukafallsjet.com
Taupo

Kiwi Discovery, Queenstown
www.kiwidiscovery.com
Queenstown

Shotover Canyon Swing
www.canyonswing.co.nz
Queenstown

Events, Meetings and Incentives
WOMAD NZ Festival 2007
www.womad.co.nz
New Plymouth

Leisure Activity
Hassle-free Tours
www.hasslefree.co.nz
Christchurch

White Island Tours
www.whiteisland.co.nz
Whakatane

Visitor Attraction
Agrodome
www.agrodome.co.nz
Rotorua

Rainbow Springs Nature Park & Kiwi Encounter
www.rainbowsprings.co.nz
Rotorua

PHILIPS INNOVATION AWARD

EIT’s Tourism and Travel Wheel of Learning
www.eit.ac.nz
Napier

Air New Zealand Grabaseat
www.airnewzealand.co.nz
Auckland

The Quadrant Hotel, Auckland
www.thequadrant.com
Auckland

WESTPAC SMALL TOURISM OPERATOR AWARD

Hassle-free Tours
www.hasslefree.co.nz
Christchurch

New Zealand Riverjet
www.riverjet.co.nz
Rotorua

Skydive Lake Wanaka Ltd
www.skydivenz.com
Wanaka

DOC CONSERVATION IN ACTION AWARD

Karori Sanctuary
www.sanctuary.org.nz
Wellington

Nomad Safaris
www.nomadsafaris.co.nz
Queenstown

Rainbow Springs Nature Park and Kiwi Encounter
www.rainbowsprings.co.nz
Rotorua

Real Journeys and Stewart Island Experience
www.realjouneys.co.nz
Fiordland, Queenstown, Stewart Is.,
Te Anau,

ENDS

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