Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award
RealNZ
RealNZ provides authentic nature experiences in the South Island and has been awarded this year’s highest accolade, the Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award. This operator provides authentic nature experiences in the South Island.
RealNZ’s purpose is to “help the world fall in love with conservation through extraordinary experiences in nature” with offerings including water adventures, dining, eco-experiences and skiing.
Since its founding in 1954 by conservation pioneers Les and Lady Olive Hutchins, RealNZ maintains a rich heritage of fostering appreciation for New Zealand’s natural places, while working to regenerate ecosystems and protect Aotearoa’s natural treasures for future generations.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Tourism Excellence Award (Micro Business)
Terra and Tide
Terra and Tide is a nature based eco-tourism touring business based on Waiheke Island. Terra and Tide offers a range of touring, walking, sailing and wellness experiences.
They have a deep commitment to sustainability and the protection of the very environment the business operates within.
Their commitment to actively conserving this unique environment has led to numerous community projects and achieving Zero Carbon Business Operations Certification.
Finalists
Tourism Industry Aotearoa Tourism Excellence Award (Small - Medium Business)
Tauhara North Tourism - Te Pā Tū
Te Pā Tū offers premium culture and kai events in Rotorua sharing seasonal visitor experiences, enriched manaaki and provenanced degustation cuisine.
Te Pā Tū celebrates history, generates employment, and honours te taiao (natural environment) with generous, genuine, and beautifully curated knowledge-sharing events.
Te Pā Tū is intended as a tourism operation that gives more than it takes – sustaining land, place, stories and people.
Finalists
Johnston's Coachlines Tourism Excellence Award (Large Business)
RealNZ
RealNZ provides authentic nature experiences in the South Island and has been awarded this year’s highest accolade, the Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award. This operator provides authentic nature experiences in the South Island.
RealNZ’s purpose is to “help the world fall in love with conservation through extraordinary experiences in nature” with offerings including water adventures, dining, eco-experiences and skiing.
Since its founding in 1954 by conservation pioneers Les and Lady Olive Hutchins, RealNZ maintains a rich heritage of fostering appreciation for New Zealand’s natural places, while working to regenerate ecosystems and protect Aotearoa’s natural treasures for future generations.
Finalists
Wayfinder Community Engagement Award
iFLY Indoor Skydiving
Queenstown-based iFLY Indoor Skydiving has utilised its business assets to benefit the community by providing an inspiring and ‘uplifting’ experience for rangatahi in the district to help grow confidence and support wellbeing. Their ambitious social project, iFLY Whakamana Youth Programme, shows business can deliver tangible well-being benefits for community, with over 450 Year 7 and Year 8 students from across the district taking part since its inception.
Finalists
Tourism Talent Employer of Choice Award
GO Rentals
GO Rentals regards it as mission critical for its people to feel valued and amply rewarded for their hard work. GO Rentals has increased employee support remuneration and placed a greater emphasis on health and wellbeing.
From the tailor-made mental health training for managers, to deep embedding of sustainability practices, to the strategic approach to developing its people has driven high employee engagement.
Finalists
KiwiRail Tourism Environment Award
RealNZ
RealNZ leads efforts like ‘Predator Free Maunga’ at Cardrona and Treble Cone, the Kārearea Project, ‘Plant a Seed,’ and partnerships with the Kea Conservation Trust. It has a memorandum for a predator-free Rakiura Stewart Island, with its Fiordland and Rakiura teams actively trapping predators. At Walter Peak High Country Farm, environmental restoration programmes include wilding pine removal, trapping, re-planting, soil health, organic farming, and eco-tours.
Judges commended RealNZ’s strategic approach, of identifying where they need to get to, with real data and numbers to back it up. This is an exemplar of how to shift your business to achieve change.
Finalists
Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust Collaboration and Alignment Award
Tāpoi Te Moananui ā Toi | Tourism Bay of Plenty - Flavours of plenty
Tourism Bay of Plenty’s “Flavours of Plenty”, has grown into a foodie community and an annual food festival that supports and celebrates its people, produce, plates, and place. Through this, they have created another reason for visitors to visit the region during the off-peak season, along with raising the profile of many food producers and businesses they’ve collaborated with.
Finalists
- Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours Ltd
- The Hotel Britomart
- Tāpoi Te Moananui ā Toi | Tourism Bay of Plenty - The Green Room | Te Rūma Kākāriki
Toroa ā-uta, Toroa ā-tai Māori Tourism Award
Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours Ltd
Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is a small Māori owned whanau business based in Murupara, offering visitors authentic, engaging, real life experiences, such as guided tours into historic sites, community visits, powhiri on to their marae, traditional kai, and interactive cultural workshops. Kohutapu also aims to harness tourism in a positive way to give back to its community, people, place and environment.
Finalists
Booking.com Resilience and Innovation Award
Hobbiton Movie Set
Hobbiton Movie Set’s commitment to delivering an immersive Middle-earth experience has enchanted over 4.5 million visitors, bolstering the local economy and providing an authentic, world-class experience in rural Waikato.
Hobbiton has been continually innovating and investing in new offerings, with projects like the recent addition of Bagshot Row, an interior Hobbit Hole experience, enhancing and enriching the visitor experience.
Finalists
NZME Visitor Experience Award
Tauhara North Tourism - Te Pā Tū
Te Pā Tū offers premium culture and kai events in Rotorua sharing seasonal visitor experiences, enriched manaaki and provenanced degustation cuisine.
Te Pā Tū celebrates history, generates employment, and honours te taiao (natural environment) with generous, genuine, and beautifully curated knowledge-sharing events.
Te Pā Tū is intended as a tourism operation that gives more than it takes – sustaining land, place, stories and people.
Finalists
Individual Awards 2024
Akiaki Emerging Tourism Leader Award
Anne Newman, Christchurch Adventure Park
Anne has had a very comprehensive, challenging and successful career to date, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad. As a leader at Christchurch Adventure Park (CAP), this has stood her in good stead to face the numerous challenges CAP has faced. A clear and passionate leader, Anne has demonstrated how she is able to build very strong support among her staff and recognise how this is a team game. Judges commended Anne for the great work she has done in her time at the CAP, especially the recapitalisation project, and how she has not shied away from any challenges.
Finalists
- Charlotte Laurentin, Millbrook Resort
- James Stokes, Glenorchy Air
- Zac Watson, Maverick Digital Tourism Marketing
Auckland Airport Tourism Industry Champion Award
David Kennedy, International Antarctic Centre
David Kennedy, General Manager of the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, has over 30 years in the tourism industry. He has been a passionate advocate for building high-performing teams dedicated to delivering exceptional tourism experiences, whether directly with taonga manuhiri or strategically with diverse stakeholders across our inspiring industry.
Finalists
- Gavin M. Faull, Swiss-Belhotel International
- Nadine ToeToe, Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours Ltd
Sir Jack Newman Award Outstanding Industry Leader
Fergus Brown
Fergus has been an integral part of the tourism industry, serving as the CEO of Holiday Parks New Zealand for 21 years and contributing over 17 years to the TIA Board. As Deputy Chair and representative of the Holiday Parks, Motels and Other Accommodation sector, his leadership has been invaluable. Fergus’s deep knowledge and unwavering optimism have guided the industry through many changes.