Airbnb – Regenerative Tourism award 

Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours Ltd

Kohutapu Lodge works closely with its community to ensure the business is living and breathing regenerative tourism, from ensuring the survival of the longfin tuna to educating visitors about te ao Māori. 

When borders closed, Kohutapu Lodge lost 98% of its business overnight.  

But the business continued to focus on its community, including opening two new enterprises and running three 12-week life-changing courses to support rangatahi. 

Investing in the community and the future of the town, they launched a guided cultural walking tour and opened a brand-new high-end accommodation option. This work allowed them to hold onto existing staff despite the loss of customers and even increase their workforce throughout the pandemic.   

They are constantly looking at ways to enhance the visitor experience - but they are also constantly looking at ways in which the customer can enhance their community. Their visitors become a part of the community and are deeply educated on cultural and behavioural expectations.   

Our judges called this an amazing outcome from some great work. Kohutapu Lodge ticks all the boxes: engagement of whanau, supporting community, creating value for local iwi and providing a memorable, outstanding special experience. 

Finalists

tourism Industry New Zealand Trust – Community Engagement Award 

Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours LTD

Kohutapu Lodge is a small Māori whānau-owned and operated tourism business with a big heart. 

Despite losing 98% of its business post-COVID, Kohutapu Lodge continued to focus on its community, including opening two new ventures and running life-changing soft skill courses for rangatahi. 

Kohutapu Lodge is the leading contributor to the wellbeing of the town of Murupara, our judges said.  

They have continued to contribute and lead. The foundation of shared whakapapa provides the basis on which to improve community wellbeing. 

Department of Conservation – Conservation Award 

The Landing

The Landing is a Bay of Islands coastal property offering luxury guest accommodation alongside a sustainable vineyard, winery and tasting room. 

Consultation with local iwi, investment in high-quality construction, a 20-year native bush and wetland restoration project and more are core aspects of The Landing’s sustainability framework.  

Judges described the ongoing conservation efforts at The Landing as “extraordinary”, from the planting of 1.25 million trees to the significant improvements to kiwi habitat and population.  

Tourism Talent – employer of choice award 

iFly Indoor Skydiving NZ Ltd

In 2021 iFLY launched the Whakamana Youth Programme to help primary-aged tamariki manage pressures of mental health and support suicide prevention in local children before transitioning to high school.  

The programme fosters cross-community collaboration to offer the programme free to 200 most vulnerable children annually, with the ability to grow. 

Judges said this was an outstanding entry from a tourism business applying itself selflessly to a community issue with serious implications for young people. 

The programme is very well considered and thought through with innovative and meaningful measures of outcomes and impacts. 

Finalists

Environment Award 

East by West Company Limited

In 2021, East By West Ferries launched Ika Rere, the Southern Hemisphere’s first zero-emission, fully electric, fast passenger ferry.  

Running on certified 100% renewable electricity from Meridian Energy, Ika Rere provides a unique visitor experience. An environmentally sound and sustainable cruise across the beautiful Wellington harbour. 

Our judges described the operation as a superb achievement in moving away from fossil fuels to a low intensity operation that screams "the future". 

tourism New Zealand – Industry Collaboration Award 

Regional Tourism New Zealand

The New Zealand Government’s aspiration is a more regenerative tourism system.  

Regional Tourism New Zealand has demonstrated vision and strategic leadership by developing the Te Ūnga Mai programme to build capability of RTOs so they can successfully lead this collaborative work.  

It is a comprehensive programme grounded in research and national and international best practice, delivered through an applied learning model.  
 
“The Te Unga Mai programme is a fantastic, collaborative effort to lead all regions of New Zealand into genuinely uncharted territory,” said our judges. 

Finalists

He Toa Takitini – Māori Tourism Award

Kapiti Island Nature Tours

Kapiti Island Nature Tours is a whanau business, operating a tourism experience on Māori-owned land which has been part of the whanau for eight generations.  

They take their role as kaitiaki of their land seriously and are proud to host visitors, sharing with them a unique conservation and cultural experience.  

The kaupapa that guide the operation are kaitiakitanga, kotahitanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga. 

Judges said: “The whanau involved in this legacy business embodies all that is best in Māori tourism.” 

WEstpac – resilience and innovation Award 

Altitude Tours

A multi-award-winning tour operator in Queenstown, specialising in small group travel, Altitude Tours curates exclusive tours, hikes and tailored private experiences for a domestic market.  

Judges noted the excellent work in coordinating with other tourism businesses and called Altitude Tours “A proper tourism company – inspirational.”  

They noted that the product innovations and cycle of development were “quite extraordinary.” 

NZME – Visitor Experience Award 

Hollyford Wilderness Experience

The Hollyford Wilderness Experience is a spectacular journey of discovery from the mountains to the sea, a place guests can venture comfortably off grid and be immersed in some of the most magical wilderness Aotearoa has to offer.  

Ngāi Tahu ownership brings an authenticity to the experience and the walk honours and recognises the kaitiakitanga of the iwi over a landscape that bears its history. 

“Ka pai,” our judges said. “By weaving in tikanga and te reo, you provide manuhiri a powerful insight into our whenua.”  

PATA New zealand trust – Emerging tourism leader Award

Alex Dykman

Alex is the Founder of Maverick Digital and co-Founder of Grow Tourism and she is motivated by making a difference.  

Embarking on a mission to empower New Zealand tourism through digital has transformed this entrepreneur into an award-winning tourism and technology leader.  

Alex is a passionate advocate for combining technology and innovation to empower tourism to embrace change.  

Our judges said Alex is an inspirational tourism leader who has supported the industry to embrace a "digital first' philosophy.  

She has become the industry's ‘go to’ person for all things digital and should be proud of her achievements and growth prospects. 

Finalists

Marsh – tourism industry champion Award

John Barrett

John operates a successful business where Māori values and environmental best practice form the foundation.  

Over the last five years, Kapiti Island Nature Tours has increased visitor numbers by 97%.  

John has over 30 years of management and governance experience across private and public organisations alongside participation on local and national tourism and Māori Boards.  

Our judges said John is an outstanding individual who has dedicated his career to championing eco-tourism.  

His achievements evidence just how passionate and committed he is to continuously bring awareness to Kapiti Island, its habitat and the local community. 

“An amazing lifetime contribution.” 

Finalists

Sir Jack Newman Outstanding Industry Leader Award

The late Jeroen Jongejans

Jeroen was a longtime campaigner for Northland tourism and Tutukaka Coast’s biggest cheerleader, a trailblazer and an entrepreneur.  

For the last 25 years Jeroen has been an outstanding, staunch and effective ambassador for tourism in the north.  

He has been instrumental to the creation of Tutukaka as a tourism destination, with the creation of 2 shipwrecks, and the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve.  

Jeroen also remained a stalwart supporter of the Hundertwasser Museum in Whangārei throughout the past 10 years, which finally opened in the beginning of 2022.  

Tutukaka would be a completely different place without his magnificent presence.  

He has tirelessly committed his life to many different boards, councils, groups, associations, panels and trusts across the region and country. 

His passion for the wider tourism industry has continued to grow, and had his time not been cut short, Jeroen would have made sure to leave an even bigger footprint in Aotearoa.  

With his strong principles and values, he truly epitomises one of his favourite quotes: “Be not simply good, be good for something.”