South Island Holiday Parks finalists of AA hospitality award

6 June 2012

South Island Holiday Parks scoop finalist places for AA hospitality award

Five of the six finalists, for the AA Spirit of Hospitality Award for Excellence in Holiday Parks are located in the South Island.

The Automobile Association and the Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand (HAPNZ) today announced this year’s finalists, which include Waitaki Waters Holiday Park (Oamaru), Motueka TOP 10 Holiday Park (Motueka), Smiths Farm Holiday Park (Picton), Queenstown TOP 10 Holiday Park Creeksyde (Queenstown) and Nelson City Holiday Park (Nelson). The All Seasons Holiday Park in Rotorua is the sole North Island contender.

Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand Chief Executive Fergus Brown says this hospitality award is the supreme award for holiday parks

“We believe that customer service is the most important part of the holiday park experience. The variety of parks which make up the six finalists proves that both big and small parks can compete when it comes to customer service,” says Mr Brown.

“It is particularly pleasing to see Smiths Farm Holiday Park as a finalist for the third year in a row and Queenstown TOP 10 Creeksyde as a finalist for the second year running. The holiday park sector is all about providing a great customer experience and these parks show that they are committed to our core value of Manaakitanga,” he says.

AA Tourism spokesperson Rebecca Cherry says the tourism industry, including the accommodation sector, is constantly being reviewed by travellers online so it is vital that operators maintain a high level of customer service and professionalism.

“Our online traveller review site ‘Been There’, has received over 20,000 validated reviews now, which reflects just how popular it has become for travellers to post feedback about their experiences,” says Ms Cherry.

“The point of difference with ‘Been There’ is that it allows accommodation owners to respond to reviews, therefore improving the credibility of the business,” she says.

“I congratulate each of the Holiday Park finalists for the fantastic holiday experiences that they are providing their guests with. The reviews speak for themselves and I encourage anyone looking for that next holiday experience to read the feedback and book the next holiday,” says Ms Cherry.

The winner will be announced at the 2012 Holiday Parks Conference and Trade Exhibition in Queenstown on Thursday 21 June.

ENDS

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