Queenstown Concierge first to represent NZ at Clef d’Or

Media release from Nathan Wise
24 March 2011

Queenstown Concierge first to represent New Zealand at
Les Clef d’Or World Congress

Queenstown’s youngest Les Clef d’Or concierge, Nathan Wise, 30, heads to Toronto tomorrow (Friday 25 March) for the organisation’s annual World Congress Meeting. Mr Wise will represent New Zealand as the country’s very first concierge to be nominated for one of the prestigious Les Clef d’Or World Congress awards.

Mr Wise, who picked up his golden keys just three years ago, has worked for Crowne Plaza Queenstown for the past seven years as one of only two Les Clef d’Or [Pronounced: Clay door – translates as golden keys] certified concierges in the resort town. He shortly takes up the position as Chief Concierge at The Hilton Hotel.

He was nominated for the Andy Pongco ‘Young Concierge of the Year Award’ by President of the Hotel Concierge Society Les Clef d’Or New Zealand (HCSNZ) Mr Franz Staufer and the Executive Committee.

Andy Pongco is the former first International Vice President of the Union Internationale des Concierges Hôtels (UICH) Les Clefs d'Or who passed away in 2007. The winner of his coveted award will receive an invitation to participate at the next International Congress in London as a guest (registration and air fares fully paid) of UICH.

To get ahead in the nomination’s running Mr Wise is required to compete against young international Les Clef d’Or concierges in as series of written and online tests and interviews that challenges his Les Clef d’Or, concierge, and food and drink knowledge.

He said representing “the best of Kiwi hospitality” at the World Congress would be an honour after aspiring to become a concierge since watching Michael J Fox in ‘For Love or Money (AKA The Concierge’).

“It’s incredible to be the first ever New Zealand concierge nominated for a Les Clef d’Or award. I’m delighted to be among the delegates representing HCSNZ and will be proud to be there as a reflection of the exceptional service in Queenstown,” he said.

“In 2013, myself and Sofitel concierge Brian Wilkinson, (who is the only other Les Clef d’Or representative in Queenstown) will host the Les Clef d’Or Annual World Congress here, so the Toronto experience will be extremely valuable.”

Originally from Sydney, Australia, Mr Wise has more than ten years of front line hospitality experience in hotels in downtown Sydney and Whistler, Canada. He has lived in New Zealand for seven years and moved to Queenstown in 2004 with his Canadian partner.

Mr Wise fundraised for the trip with an online auction on Trademe.com for an ‘Ultimate Queenstown’ package reaching $2010. The package included activities with Shotover Jet, Shotover Canyon Swing, Skippers Canyon Jet, TSS Earnslaw, NZONE Skydive, Elevation Paraglides, Air Milford Flight and Cruise, Remarkables Golf Tour, Limousine Line, Helicopter Line and three nights’ accommodation and breakfast at Crowne Plaza Queenstown.

ENDS

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