Dolphins put on a display for passengers on the Carino Wildlife Cruises catamaran in the Bay of Islands. Photo / Supplied
Dolphins put on a display for passengers on the Carino Wildlife Cruises catamaran in the Bay of Islands. Photo / Supplied
A Bay of Islands family business has won one of New Zealand's top tourism awards for turning the challenge of closed borders into an educational opportunity for Northland children.
Carino Wildlife Cruises, which operates catamaran-based dolphin-watching trips, was one of 12 winners of the Qualmark 100% Pure New Zealand ExperienceAwards announced last Wednesday in Christchurch.
The 2020 event was canned due to Covid-19, and this year's awards focused on environmental sustainability, community involvement and the way businesses responded to the absence of overseas tourists.
Judges from Tourism New Zealand, Qualmark and Air New Zealand whittled 50 shortlisted businesses down to 12 winners.
Carino Wildlife Tours was the smallest business to take home a trophy with a staff of just three: Vanessa McKay, her partner Wayne Limbrick and father Bruce McKay.
While the judges explained their choices on the night via a video presentation, Vanessa McKay said she was too overwhelmed to take it in.
However, she believed the business had been chosen for trying to raise awareness of the plight of bottlenose dolphins in the Bay of Islands, its long-standing support for a marine mammal sanctuary, and a children's education programme established during the Covid pandemic.
The dolphin-spotting catamaran Carino NZ anchored at Motuarohia Island. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The family started taking schoolchildren on dolphin tours in December after getting the idea during lockdown.
''When all the overseas cancellations started coming through we were sitting around thinking, 'What are we going to do?' You could get quite negative and into a downward spiral, but we had a vessel, we had a [dolphin-watching] permit, we had an amazing platform and a lot of skills — so we thought about how could we use that and give back to local kids.''
The children's tours include snorkelling, swimming and learning about dolphins and the marine mammal sanctuary proposal.
Some of the children had never been out on the water, apart from the Russell ferry, despite living close to the ocean, she said.
There was no charge for the trips and everyone involved volunteered their time.
Carino Wildlife Cruises customers have a go at snorkelling in the Bay of Islands. Photo / Supplied
McKay said the award was ''fantastic'' for increasing awareness of the business and had prompted people to approach her offering to sponsor children's tours.
Staff would continue to volunteer, but sponsorship could help cover the boat's operating costs.
Mckay said it was an honour to be included among ''an amazing group'' of operators nominated for the awards.
''It has also inspired me to do more,'' she said.
Dive! Tutukaka, which offers underwater experiences at the Poor Knights Islands, was also a finalist in the 2021 awards.
Northland Inc destination manager Tania Burt said she was thrilled by Carino Wildlife Cruises' win.
"Time and again our Tai Tokerau tourism industry pushes the envelope with innovation. This is another great example of how the region and its operators are committed to a journey for the positive benefit of our environment and communities."
