Finalists announced for 2019 NZ Hotel Industry Awards

4 June 2019

Outstanding hotel personnel from Arrowtown to Auckland have been named as finalists in the 2019 New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards.

These prestigious awards celebrate the achievements of the exceptional individuals who work in New Zealand hotels in roles ranging from Front Office Services to General Manager, as well as a hotel with an outstanding environmental initiative.

39 finalists are competing for this year’s Hotel Industry Awards across 13 categories. A new category has been introduced in 2019 with the Hotel Industry Technology Employee of the Year, recognising someone who has made an exceptional contribution in championing a technology project that has led to increased guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Sally Attfield, Hotel Sector Manager at Tourism Industry Aotearoa, says the New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards are unique in rewarding the efforts of those filling key hotel roles.

“There are numerous award programmes that recognise incredible hotels but we aim to celebrate the people who are vital to delivering outstanding guest experiences. We also want to showcase the wide range of exciting career options available in the hotel sector,” Ms Attfield says.

Horwath HTL Director Stephen Hamilton says the New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards are going from strength to strength.

“The competition is fierce this year, with entries from hotels around the country. Our judges found it incredibly hard to narrow down the entrants in several categories to just three or four finalists,” Mr Hamilton says.

The awards are judged by industry experts.

The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner at Cordis, Auckland on 20 June. The dinner will cap off the 2019 New Zealand Hotel Industry Conference, co-hosted by TIA and Horwath HTL.

Dinner tickets and conference registrations are available at nzhotelconference.com

The finalists are:

Hotel Industry Administration Employee of the Year
• Katie Church, Millbrook Resort, Queenstown
• Mohammed Aslam, Heritage Hotel Auckland
• Nicolette van Lieshout, Accor New Zealand Regional Office

Hotel Industry Concierge of the Year
• Frederique Irion, Cordis, Auckland
• Nick Steele, Heritage Hotel Auckland
• Ruth Whitley, SKYCITY Grand Hotel, Auckland

Hotel Industry Environmental Initiative of the Year
• Cordis, Auckland
• James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, Wellington
• Sudima Christchurch Airport

Hotel Industry Food and Beverage Employee of the Year
• Bonn Tucker, Scenic Hotel Southern Cross, Dunedin
• Florent Souche, QT Wellington
• Lance Webster, James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, Wellington

Hotel Industry Front Office Services Employee of the Year
• Harry Flynn, Crowne Plaza Queenstown
• Kevin Dias, Sudima Auckland Airport
• Shuman (Monica) Dai, Cordis, Auckland

Hotel Industry General Manager of the Year
• Jeremy Healy, Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour
• Jim Moore, Novotel Queenstown Lakeside
• Lynley Mckinnon, Chateau Marlborough

Hotel Industry Housekeeper Employee of the Year
• Kailash Mohan Singh Rana, Stamford Plaza Auckland
• Moana Puiri, Sudima Auckland Airport
• Nicolas Souto, Millbrook Resort, Queenstown

Hotel Industry Outstanding Young Hotel Executive of the Year
• Matt McDonald, Millbrook Resort, Queenstown
• Melissa Alexander, Scenic Hotel Auckland
• Vedika Jhunjhnuwala, Sudima Hotels

Hotel Industry Regional Hotel Employee of the Year
• Edward Judd, Novotel & ibis Rotorua
• Stéphan Rudich, Heritage Collection Portside Hotel Gisborne

Hotel Industry Revenue Manager of the Year
• Areesa Chunsangfah, Rydges Latimer Christchurch
• Mark Nixon, Bolton Hotel, Wellington
• Udji Dimayuga-Nocos, Rydges Wellington

Hotel Industry Sales, Marketing & Distribution Employee of the Year
• Amanda Youell, Millbrook Resort, Queenstown
• Elizabeth Burrett, SKYCITY Entertainment Group
• Lisa Breckon, CPG Hotels
• Marion Bausse, Cordis, Auckland

Hotel Industry Senior Hotel Executive of the Year
• Israel Suarez Guido, Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour
• Paul Columbus, Novotel Auckland Airport
• Ronnie Ronalde, CPG Hotels

Hotel Industry Technology Employee of the Year
• Dipika Patel, Sudima Hotels
• Ella Blake, Bolton Hotel, Wellington
• Lisa Song, Four Points by Sheraton Auckland

About the co-hosts

Tourism Industry Aotearoa Hotel Sector
TIA’s hotel sector represents the interests of over 180 members throughout New Zealand, including international chains, large independent and privately owned hotels. TIA hotel sector members employ over 12,000 staff nationally, with annual revenues of almost $1.7 billion. TIA’s hotel members contribute to a monthly performance survey conducted by the Fresh Information Company.

Horwath HTL
Horwath HTL is a consulting firm specialising in the hotel, tourism, and leisure industries, providing specialist consulting services to a wide range of private sector clients and public sector stakeholders, including developers, investors, funders, owners, and operators. Horwath HTL is affiliated with Crowe
Global, a network of more than 140 independent accounting and advisory services firms with 560 offices in more than 100 countries.

Platinum Sponsor
The conference Platinum Sponsor is Scenic Hotel Group.

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