Category – Best large hotel / accommodation
Thursday, 12 November, 2009
YHA Wellington City has won a prestigious international Responsible Tourism award at the Virgin Holidays Responsible
Tourism Awards, hosted at the World Travel Market in London. The hostel has won the best large hotel / accommodation
section. The awards recognise organisations, individuals and destinations from around the world that make a real
difference to local communities and the environment. This year almost 600 nominations were received.
The award is a sweet victory for a hostel which has been working on sustainability initiatives since the mid-nineties.
Manager, Chris Sperring says, “Winning this award is recognition of our accumulated efforts. But it’s also recognition
for our young and energetic staff and guests who are the inspiration and the answer to our continued improvements.”
“We work hard to make the hostel more than just a bed for our guests and more than just a job for our staff. That means
involving them in the way we do things and in many cases letting them show us the way forward. And we hope that the
experience travelers have with us will be part of a travel experience that motivates them for life to care for our
environment.”
“This is a big, city hostel, so it doesn’t necessarily fit the typical eco-hostel stereotype, but that hasn’t stopped us
from making sustainability central to everything we do.”
YHA Wellington City winning this category and Whale Watch Kaikōura taking out the supreme award consolidates New
Zealand’s success in 2008 as overall winner and illustrates that the country’s commitment is reflected right down to
individual properties. This year Qualmark launched a national enviro accreditation, and YHA Wellington City’s was the
first hostel in the country to achieve a gold standard. This reflects the extent that an environmental commitment is
shared by Tourism New Zealand and tourism operators alike.
Virgin Holiday Responsible Tourism Awards
The Responsible Tourism Awards were founded in 2004 by http://www.responsibletravel.com, who run the Awards in partnership with The Daily Telegraph, Geographical Magazine - the magazine of The Royal
Geographical Society, and World Travel Market (read more about our Partners). Virgin Holidays became headline sponsors of the Awards in 2007 and have continued to support us since.
The central tenet of the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in
a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. The Awards recognise individuals, companies and
organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local
communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation.
YHA New Zealand
YHA Wellington City is the largest hostel in the YHA New Zealand network of 53 youth hostels. It is a Qualmark 5 star
property with Qualmark Enviro Gold accreditation. It is also a multi award winner in the New Zealand Sustainable
Business Network awards and two time winner of the Hostelworld best hostel in Oceania award.
YHA New Zealand has a long term commitment to fostering understanding and care of the environment and cultures through
travel. It has been an accommodation sector leader in adopting a practical approach to reducing its impact on the
environment, through waste management and a careful examination and reduction in energy and water consumption.
ENDS