Charter Success Stories

May 08:  Solitaire takes a double banger at World Travel Awards
Solitaire Lodge was awarded the title of both New Zealand's Leading Resort and also Australasia's Leading Resort in the World Travel Awards.  Now in their 15th year, the awards acknowledge top-class products in a variety of fields throughout the world.  The double award signals recognition and acknowledgement by travel agents worldwide and reinforces the lodge's well deserved reputation among discerning travellers.

Oct-Nov 07:  Electronic flair with culture
Te Puia won the “e-culture” award at the World Summit Awards (WSA), which recognises e-content and creativity in organisations.  Te Puia was the only nomination from New Zealand among the 650 products from 160 countries that were judged across a number of categories at the meeting of the jury of Global WSA.

Home of NZ's best team building company
Raftabout has been voted the best team building company in New Zealand in the 2007 People's Choice Awards.  Nominees are compiled by a panel of judges from The Corporate Events Guide, a publication and website-based event planning directory.  Votes are then generated from event planners – and groups who have used products and services - across New Zealand.

Aug-Sep 07:  Lots of Charter members make the mark
Congratulations to NZONE – The Ultimate Jump.  Winners of the Air New Zealand Supreme Award at the Tourism Industry Association Tourism Awards and major winner of the Visitor Activities and Attractions section, coming out on top in the adventure category.

Also a winner at the Tourism Awards was Hells Gate and Wai Ora who took out awards in the visitor attraction category of Visitor Activities and Attractions section and also a Visa Innovation Award.

Agrodome won the title of Operator of the Year Award during the annual Inbound Tour Operators Council of New Zealand (ITOC) conference.  Recognising excellence and an outstanding visitor experience, the award was also given to the Agrodome in 1994.

Te Puia was the winner of the Most Popular Attraction - North Island in the Grand Pacific Tours Hotel and Attraction Annual Awards.  Winners are determined from the results of customer surveys undertaken during the 2006/07 season. 

Kingsgate Rotorua Hotel was named the Thrifty Awards 2007 Supplier of the Year by Tourmasters South Pacific.  A Tourmasters spokesman said the award was a thank you for exceptional service, and also recognition of the feedback received about the hotel.

Skyline Skyrides won an ATTTO Excellence in Workplace Training Award for 2007.  Skyline GM Neville Nicholson and Skyline HR Manager Hayley Murray jointly accepted the award at the TIA conference.

The Tourism Rotorua Travel and Information Office was awarded the InterCity Group’s 2006/07 Agent of the Year (VIN category) at the annual i-SITE conference. 

Jul 07:  Photo Arts showcase
Congratulations to local company Photo Arts who won a Highly Commended Award in the Pride and Print Awards in Christchurch recently. They gained the commendation for their printing work on the impressive Damar History Wall in the Energy Events Centre, pictured left.

Zorb has the popular vote
Rotorua’s Zorb was named the North Island’s favourite attraction at the inaugural Arrival Magazine Travellers’ Choice awards, held at the New Zealand Trade Centre, Auckland, on July 4. Te Puia, Wai-O-Tapu, Huka Jet and Te Papa were named as finalists in the favourite attraction category. Although Auckland won the favourite region category, Rotorua was named as a finalist along with Queenstown, Christchurch and Taupo. The winners were determined by a survey of more than 2000 overseas visitors from 80 countries carried out by Arrival magazine. A pat on the back to all concerned!

May 07:  Making the finals
Three Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter member businesses are among the 33 top tourist businesses announced as finalists in the prestigious New Zealand Tourism Industry Awards 2007 at TRENZ last month. Agrodome and NZONE The Ultimate Jump are finalists in the Visitor Attraction category and Hells Gate and Wai Ora Spa is a finalist in both the Visitor Attraction and Innovation category.  Fiona Luhrs, Chief Executive of TIA says the purpose of the awards is to recognise and reward business excellence in the New Zealand tourism industry. The New Zealand Tourism Industry Awards' winners will be announced at a celebratory evening during the Tourism Industry Conference being held in Auckland in August.

Oct 06:  Rainbow reaps its rewards

October was a marvellous month for Rainbow Springs Nature Park.  They were named the Supreme Winner of the Westpac Rotorua Business of the Year award at a gala ceremony held at the Sportsdrome.  They also won the Hospitality and Attractions category of the same awards.  A week later InterCity Group announced a three-year commitment as the major sponsor of Kiwi Encounter at Rainbow Springs.  Rainbow Springs General Manager Stewart Brown said

they are "delighted" to partner with InterCity on this initiative and from November 1, Rainbow Springs Nature Park will also be part of the daily Newmans 'Rotorua Sights' coach tour.  Stewart said park staff have made an especially big effort over the past 18 months and these 'wins' are a reflection of their dedication and commitment.

Sep 06:  Solitaire Lodge voted leading lodge 
New Zealand's Solitaire Lodge on Lake Tarawera has gained two major honours at the 2006 World Travel Awards.  It has been voted both Australasia's Leading Resort and New Zealand's Leading Resort.  The 10-suite five-star luxury lodge has gained an international reputation for excellent service and attention to detail, complemented by top New Zealand food and wine in one of the world's most outstanding locations, near Rotorua in the North Island.  It was one of New Zealand's first luxury lodges, hosting many high-profile guests over the past 30 years.  Callum Farnell said receiving this high-level international acknowledgement was a special honour for everyone associated with Solitaire.  "As a long-standing member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, these awards fit well with our commitment to maintain the highest standards of its trusted international hallmark.

Polynesian Spa does it again!

Rotorua's Polynesian Spa has been rated in the world's top 20 spas by some of the world's most discerning travellers.  Readers of Britain's prestigious Conde Nast Traveller magazine have ranked Rotorua's Polynesian Spa 15th in the destination spa category of the recently announced 2006 Readers' Travel Awards.  Polynesian Spa managing director Martin Lobb said the win was fantastic.  "We are just very pleased to make it on the radar as one of the top tourism companies" said Martin, who credited his staff for the success of the complex.  Polynesian Spa is currently undergoing a $3.5 million revamp of the private pools.  Seventeen new private pools are due to open in December 2006 while the remainder of the work three new public bathing pools - is due for completion in April 2007.

Jul 06:  Endorsement for cultural group 
The Heritage Hotel's indoor cultural venue has awarded an Endorsed Visitor Activity rating by premier tourism industry assessor, Qualmark.  The hotel's General Manager, Marcus Keenan, says the Pohutu Cultural Theatre, established just two years ago, and has already made a name for itself both locally and internationally as the leading hotel-based cultural experience in Rotorua.  He added that achieving the Qualmark rating recognises the Pohutu Cultural Theatre's premier offering. 

Skyline shines
Skyline Enterprises, which operates Rotorua's Skyline Skyrides gondola cableway, luge, restaurant and function venues in Rotorua as well as a similar operation in Queenstown, won the Supreme Award at the Hospitality Standards Institute (HSI) 2006 Excellence in Training Awards in mid July.  Aside from the supreme award, the company also came out on top in two other categories; Excellence in Training - workplace (cafe, restaurant and bar) category and the Excellence in Training organisation. 

Mar 06:  100th kiwi chick hatched

On March 4th the 100th kiwi chick this season hatched at Kiwi Encounter, located at Rainbow Springs.  Kiwi Encounter is part of the BNZ Kiwi Recovery Trust Operation Nest Egg programme.  The programme takes kiwi eggs from the wild, hatching them at various sites around New Zealand and rearing the chicks until they are big enough to fend off predators before returning them to the place of their birth in the wild.  The associated Rainbow Springs has been involved with kiwi recovery for the past 11 years.  "In the first year there was only one kiwi hatched and so this season, to achieve 100 kiwi chicks so far demonstrates the skill and commitment of all the staff involved at Kiwi Encounter", says Sales & Marketing Manager Rob Finlayson.  There are other eggs still to hatch this season.  Check out more about kiwi conservation at the Kiwi Encounter website.

Rotorua spa makes travellers’ hot list
Polynesian Spa has been voted one of the world’s top 10 medical and thermal spas for a third time by readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine.  Managing director Martin Lobb says “Our’s is the only spa in the southern hemisphere to make this year’s list.  That, against competition from around the world, is a significant achievement”. 

Reader’s overall satisfaction with the spa increased to 88.9 percent.  Conde Nast readers are invited to rate their favourite spa according to criteria that include ambience, body treatments, cuisine and service.  Polynesian Spa, situated on the edge of Lake Rotorua, has undergone major redevelopment in recent years.  It offers 28 different hot mineral bathing pools and its Lake Spa Retreat offers unique spa therapies based on Rotorua’s renowned geothermal resource and natural New Zealand products.

Dec 05:  Accolades for geothermal park

Hell’s Gate and Wai Ora Spa has had a great year with being a finalist in the New Zealand Tourism Awards and winners of a business excellence award.  In The Tikitere-based complex won the Pukeroa Oruawhata Holdings Hospitality and Attractions Business Award at the 2005 Rotorua Business Excellence Awards, following their finalist nomination in the cultural and heritage category at the 2005 New Zealand Tourism Awards.

Sales and Marketing Manager Patrick Tamati credits their successes to the passionate and loyal staff that create the team atmosphere at Hell’s Gate.   “They work incredibly hard to ensure that every visitor leaves the property feeling as though they have had the most unique experience to be had in Rotorua”.  New park developments include new signs full of historical and geological information for visitors to learn more about the park, a new self-guide visitor map and cooking pools being used to cook corn and boil eggs.    

Aug 05: Te Puia forges cultural ties in US
Performers from Te Puia were a part of the Maori cultural performance in the ‘Maori Art Meets America’ exhibition, organized by Tourism New Zealand. The exhibition opened with an early morning performance at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, where the New Zealand cultural group performed alongside California’s native Ohlone tribe.

Under an Act of Parliament passed in 1963 Te Puia has been tasked with preserving and protecting Maori arts, crafts and culture. Andrew Te Whaiti (CEO of Te Puia) says “part of that responsibility is taking Maori culture to the rest of the world. It means we can share our skills with other indigenous cultures at the same time as we promote New Zealand as a tourist destination. Te Puia has an important role to play in sharing our knowledge and the philosophy behind running a self-funded tourism business where all profits are reinvested into the preservation of our culture”.