Talent And Innovation Help Award-winning Holiday Parks ‘Revive To Thrive’

This year’s Holiday Parks New Zealand Award winners show the sector is brimming with talent and innovation, says HPNZ Chief Executive Fergus Brown. 

The awards dinner followed the annual Holiday Parks trade show and conference in Ōtautahi Christchurch, which was buzzing with discussions and solutions on how the sector can ‘Revive to Thrive’. 

The coveted Emerging Star Award went to industrious young mother Dana Albert-Penu, an employee of Miranda Holiday Park who worked her way up from folding linen to office management. 

Mr Brown says, “It was extremely heartening to see a record-breaking number of quality entries for this category across a range of roles, showing that a plethora of talented people are keenly engaged in the sector”. 

Holiday parks are also proactively addressing seasonality by keeping a close eye on what customers want, he says. This has led to many parks bringing in new facilities, such as saunas and hot tubs, to increase winter visitation. 

A tree-planting initiative that draws on visitor engagement, the Te Ao Māori approach and the connection to the local community won Russell-Orongo Bay Holiday Park the TIA Sustainable Innovation Award. Judges said the initiative was “a fantastic example of a business living the Tiaki Promise and meeting the commitments of the Tourism Sustainability Commitment”. 

This year saw 10 finalists announced for the ReviewPro Spirit of Hospitality Award instead of the usual five, which Mr Brown says was a result of so many quality entries. The Spirit of Hospitality Award sets the standard for hospitality in the industry and was won by Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park, which is doing great work across sustainability and consistently receives excellent customer feedback. 

A full list of award winners is below. 

Holiday Parks Emerging Star Award sponsored by Tasman Holiday Parks 
Dana Albert-Penu, Miranda Holiday Park 

PGG Wrightsons Park Grounds Award 
Ohope Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park and Spencer Beach Holiday Park 

Resco Best New Build over $100,000 
Hahei Beach Resort 

Resco Best Upgrade under $100,000 
Tasman Holiday Parks - Waihi Beach 

ServiceIQ Awards 
Trainee winner: Monika Rudolf - Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park 
Holiday Park winner: Shelly Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park 

Tourism Industry Aotearoa Sustainable Innovation Award 
Russell-Orongo Bay Holiday Park 

ReviewPro Most Improved Park 
Pines Holiday Park, Hanmer Springs

ReviewPro Spirit of Hospitality Award 
Athenree Hot Springs and Holiday Park 

Outstanding Service to the Holiday Park Industry sponsored by TOP 10 Holiday Parks Group 
Colleen Ives

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