Whale Watch Kaikoura takes out Supreme Award at international tourism awards

For the second year running, New Zealand has taken the top spot at the prestigious Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards.

 

Whale Watch Kaikoura was named as overall winner at the awards announced yesterday at the 30^th anniversary of the World Travel Market, held annually in London. They also won the marine environment category.

 

The event, the largest of its kind in the world, attracts more than 5000 exhibitors from more than 200 countries and the awards ceremony is the centrepiece.

 

The awards were launched in 2004 and are run in association with World Travel Market, the Daily Telegraph, Geographical Magazine and BBC World News.

 

Whale Watch Kaikoura chief operating officer Kauahi Ngapoura said he was overwhelmed by the award which saw the South Island-based operation edge out tourism giants and fellow finalists, including the City of Cape Town, Royal Caribbean Cruises and SeaFrance.

 

"I am honoured to accept the award on behalf of Whale Watch Kaikoura, and New Zealand. To be chosen as the best against the world's leading responsible tourism operators is a humbling experience," Mr Ngapoura said.

 

Whale Watch Kaikoura was one of 35 organisations shortlisted for honours and among hundreds throughout the world nominated for the prestigious awards.

 

The announcement that Whale Watch Kaikoura had been awarded the Supreme award followed success for the organisation in the Marine Environment category.

 

Mr Ngapoura said to collect a category award was a huge honour but he was "blown away" when Whale Watch Kaikoura was announced Supreme winner.

 

"This award is a mark of success for not only Whale Watch Kaikoura but to the many people of our community who support the success of our business and provide true hospitality to the many tens of thousands of people who visit Kaikoura."

 

Whale Watch Kaikoura Chairman Wally Stone applauded the high number of nominations and the quality of those competing.

 

"It is a pleasing sign that the sustainable and responsible message has been embraced enthusiastically by so many operators and tourists around the world.

 

"Sustainability and responsibility as a host, both to our guests and to the community that we share, have been driving themes for our organisation in the 22 years we have been in operation.

 

"Whale Watch Kaikoura founder Bill Solomon instilled a deep respect for the environment and a strong sense of community in our organisation from our first day of operation. It is a deep respect for the environment that embraces responsibility for the protection and nurturing of our natural resources to ensure they remain gifts we can continue share."

 

Mr Ngapoura said the company also embraced innovation and "the use of the very best the world had to offer to ensure the comfort and experience of our visitors was the very best it could be."

 

He said the awards capped off another incredible year for Whale Watch Kaikoura and followed strong growth in its recent Australian expansion, the launch of a sixth vessel, state-of-the-art whale-watching boat Wawahia, and continued attraction of tourists, with passenger numbers expected to exceed 100,000 again this year.

 

The judges declared Whale Watch Kaikoura, New Zealand the overall winner with the following statement.

"Rarely do we see a tourism initiative developed from the ground up by a local community to such a successful and grand scale - growing from modest beginnings to securing in a joint venture with Sea World on the Gold Coast of Australia to provide their whale watching.

Whale Watch Kaikoura provides consistently responsible whale watching tours with minimal impacts. The founding of the enterprise by four Maori families has demonstrated that the local Maori community can not only grow a considerable tourism business, but, more significantly, use that business to buy back their ancestral land for the benefit of the indigenous people and their cultural identity."

 

For further media enquiries contact Jon Stokes 0276122095 or email jon.stokes@xtra.co.nz , or call Kauahi Ngapoura, 0212778259 or Whale Watch Kaikoura Chairman, Wally Stone, 021657539

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