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Multinational recreational vehicle business Tourism Holdings Ltd has won the tourism industry’s highest accolade, the Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award.

The winners of the New Zealand Tourism Awards were announced at a gala dinner in Christchurch yesterday evening (Thursday 6th September), attended by more than 400 industry leaders and supporters.

THL, with annual global turnover of $426 million, also won the Auckland Airport Business Excellence Award – for businesses with than $6 million annual turnover.

The Awards judges said THLl is a global business that can hold its own on the world stage, an amazing success story and exemplar for New Zealand’s tourism industry.

Listed on the New Zealand stock exchange, THL looks after more than 200,000 customers a year, operating a global recreational vehicle fleet of more than 6000. Alongside its RV rental and sales operations, it also operates two additional tourism businesses in New Zealand - Discover Waitomo, including Waitomo Glowworm Caves; and Kiwi Experience, a bus network aimed at young backpackers.

As part of their Air New Zealand Supreme Award prize, THL receives a prize valued at over $20,000, including $10,000 international air travel and a full-page advertisement in Kia Ora magazine.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Christopher Luxon says the airline is extremely proud to partner with the event once again and to sponsor the Tourism Awards’ Supreme Award for a fourth year.

Luxon advised “with tourism the country’s largest export earner, it’s fantastic to be able to celebrate businesses who are providing outstanding and memorable experiences to visitors to our country and also contributing to New Zealand’s reputation overseas.”

Tourism’s most prestigious individual honour, the Horwath HTL Sir Jack Newman Award, went to Kathy Guy, a tourism industry trail-blazer who rose through the ranks from waitress to become one of the first female hotel general managers in New Zealand, successfully leading the Chateau Tongariro Hotel and the Wairakei Resort Taupo.

Chris Roberts, Chief Exexcutive of Awards organiser Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) said this year’s Awards were extremely competitive, a reflection of a thriving industry that is contributing $36 billion to the New Zealand economy and supporting almost 400,000 jobs in communities throughout the country.

Roberts stated “positively, several Award winners are from smaller communities, helping attract visitors to areas off the traditional tourist track. It’s also pleasing to see the focus our business winners are putting on environmental and host community sustainability, as well as financial performance.”

Roberts thanked the Awards Partners, Air New Zealand and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for their generous support.

MBIE Chief Executive Carolyn Tremain says the Ministry’s tourism policy team works to support the industry to make the biggest contribution it can to New Zealand’s economic success, adding “we are really proud to sponsor the awards and celebrate the achievements of the industry.

“I congratulate all the winners and finalists on their innovative ideas and hard work.”

The New Zealand Tourism Awards 2018 winners:

Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award
Auckland Airport Business Excellence Award – more than $6 million annual turnover
Winner: Tourism Holdings Ltd (thl)

Horwath HTL Sir Jack Newman Outstanding Industry Leader Award
Winner: Kathy Guy

PATA New Zealand Trust Emerging Tourism Leader Award 
Winner: Luke Taylor, Go Orange, Queenstown

JLT & AIG Tourism Industry Champion Award 
Winner: Les Morgan, Sudima Hotels and Resorts

Westpac Business Excellence Award - Less than $6 million annual turnover
Winner: Owen River Lodge

Department of Conservation Environmental Tourism Award 
Winner: Kapiti Island Nature Tours

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment Industry Alignment Award 
Winner: Hawke’s Bay Tourism

He Kai Kei Aku Ringa Māori Tourism Award
Winner: Whale Watch Kaikoura Ltd

The Great Journeys of New Zealand Tourism 2025 Enabler Award
Winner: Christchurch Airport

epay NZ Tourism Marketing Award
Winner: Air New Zealand

ServiceIQ Visitor Experience Award
Winner: GO Rentals

NZME People’s Choice Award
Winner: Forgotten World Adventures

For more information on the New Zealand Tourism Awards go to www.nztourismawards.org.nz

Images: Members of the THL team with their Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award (top, courtesy of Waynne Williams) and one of THL's distinctive Britz recreational vehicles (below).

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