12 November 2012
Kiwi Experience Number One for Independent Travel
Legendary New Zealand hop-on hop-off bus adventure tour, Kiwi Experience, was awarded Best Tour Operator and Best
Transport Operator at the Golden Backpack Awards in Sydney on Thursday night.
While it is the first time the big green buses have won the Best Transport Operator Award, 2012 marks the fifth time
Kiwi Experience has won the award for Best Tour Operator.
The awards, which are Australasia’s only dedicated awards program for the independent travel sector, recognise companies
which make travelling around Australia and New Zealand extra memorable.
Run by TNT magazine, the international campaign for the Golden Backpack Awards saw almost 80,000 votes cast by travel
lovers from around the world.
Tourism Holdings Limited (thl) GM Marketing and Customer Experience, Kate Meldrum, says the Kiwi Experience team are thrilled to have won the two
awards - a first for the tour operator.
“While we are always excited to come home with one Golden Backpack, to win two is just the icing on the cake of what has
been another awesome year.
“Kiwi Experience would not be what it is today without our incredible team of driver guides, operations masterminds and
trade partners and these awards are a credit to their efforts. It is the involvement of all of these parties that has
enabled us to show travellers the best of what New Zealand has to offer and make sure they have a great time along the
way.”
In addition to Kiwi Experience, one of the newest additions to thl’s brand portfolio, Mighty Campervans, was also nominated for the Best Car/Campervan Rental Company in New Zealand – a promising start for the brand which
only launched to market in May.
Kiwi Experience has been successfully operating hop-on, hop-off tours aboard their legendary buses for over 22 years and
with consistent demand from travellers the world over, there are no signs of slowing down as peak season approaches.
For more information about Kiwi Experience and the range of tours available, visit www.kiwiexperience.com
About Kiwi Experience:
Kiwi Experience is New Zealand’s legendary hop-on, hop-off bus tour operator for backpackers and independent travellers.
Operating for over 21 years, Kiwi Experience is part of the Tourism Holdings Limited (listed NZX: thl on the New Zealand Stock Exchange) portfolio which includes brands such as; Maui, Britz and Mighty Campervans and Rental
Cars, Road Bear RV and Sales (USA), KEA Campers, United Campervans & Sales, Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Ruakuri Cave, Aranui Cave, and The Legendary Blackwater Rafting co. www.thlonline.com
ENDS