A close encounter with a kākā at Zealandia wildlife sanctuary. It took the top tourism award for 2023. Photo / File
A close encounter with a kākā at Zealandia wildlife sanctuary. It took the top tourism award for 2023. Photo / File
Wellington wildlife sanctuary Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne has been named the top tourism operation in the country for 2023.
Zealandia was presented with the Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award at the New Zealand Tourism Awards last night in its hometown of Te Whanganui-a-Tāra Wellington.
Judges said Zealandia wasa local icon and “worthy exemplar” for others to follow, consistently demonstrating the qualities that the tourism industry held dear. Receiving their award, Zealandia’s chief executive Dr Danielle Shanahan said the award really was “one for the birds”.
A close encounter with a kākā at Zealandia wildlife sanctuary. Photo / File
“Zealandia has absolutely transformed what tourism means in Aotearoa New Zealand, and it’s because of some incredible people – volunteers, staff members, trustees. These are the people who make this place hum, who make Wellington thrive.”
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne is the world’s first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary, with a 500-year vision to connect people with nature and help native wildlife flourish in Wellington and beyond.
The 225-hectare ecosanctuary is a conservation project that protects over 40 rare native wildlife species. It is a not for profit organisation and the sanctuary is around the Karori reservoir with its fence built in the late 1990s.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram said Zealandia “is everything we love about tourism: protecting our wildlife, telling our unique story, thrilling visitors and beloved by its community.”
EcoZip won the Trust Community Engagement Award. Photo / Supplied
As well as the Supreme Award, Zealandia took home the Airbnb Tourism Excellence Award (Small-Medium Business). Judges said the attraction had strong metrics and values, a truly impressive masterplan and its 500-plus band of volunteers who no doubt agreed.
Queenstown business Altitude Tours won the NZME-sponsored Visitor Experience Award and one of its founders, Heidi Farren, took the Emerging Tourism Leader title.
There were more than 120 entries in this year’s awards and Ingram said it had been an honour to hear the stories of these companies and the ways they’ve found, sometimes against tough odds, to thrive and widely contribute to their communities.
“The values that are shining through a lot of these entries are very affirming, qualities that no doubt win them much support from their host communities and visitors alike.”
Former Christchurch Airport chief executive Malcolm Johns won the Sir Jack Newman Outstanding Industry Leader Award.
Now chief executive of Genesis Energy, Johns said the tourism sector was resilient and a force for good that was changing the country.
‘‘Tourism is genuinely a force for social good within New Zealand because it brings pride in communities and cultures and groups of people that can’t access it through other sectors and it gives them confidence to be who they are.’'
TIA, formed 70 years ago, has about 1300 member businesses from across the industry, ranging from small owner/operators to large publicly listed tourism corporates and international hotel chains and yesterday hosted a summit with.
The New Zealand Tourism Awards recognise businesses, organisations and individuals who are demonstrating business success, living the values of the New Zealand sustainability commitment and embracing kaitiakitanga (guardianship).
