The 2021 Hospitality Awards for Excellence will go ahead after all this year – as long as Auckland is in Alert Level 1.

There’s a new date and venue for the black-tie event to celebrate the best of the industry’s best. It will now be held on 23 November at Auckland Museum.

The awards celebrate the success, achievements and, especially in this year post-COVID, the resilience of the hospitality and accommodation sector.

They were to be part of the New Zealand Hospitality Summit in September, but this has been postponed till next year due to uncertainties surrounding the community outbreak of the Covid-19 Delta variant in Auckland.

The awards are hosted by Hospitality New Zealand in partnership with principal sponsor Lion New Zealand and with the support of other industry partners

They were not held last year because of the pandemic.

A record number of entries were received from venues across the industry for this year’s event, the 24th time it’s been held. This is also the first year the awards have been opened to the whole industry and not just members of Hospitality New Zealand.

CEO Julie White says she is delighted the awards can be held amid the ongoing challenges inflicted by Covid.

“The summit was a casualty, and we had no option but to postpone it because of its size and the number of people and exhibitors involved, but we were absolutely determined the awards would not join it.

“We very badly wanted to recognise and reward members who strove throughout Covid to create the highest possible standards and experiences for their guests and their teams, and that was made easier logistically because the awards could be held on one evening.

“Hospitality and accommodation businesses and their employees have been through hell over the past 18 months – and they’re still suffering – and that’s what’s been driving us.

“Every owner, operator, and employee deserves an award on 23 November for the resilience and perseverance they’ve shown through probably the toughest period the industry has ever been through.

“It’s inspiring to see them all still looking to be the best and to meet customers’ needs after all they’ve been through.”

Craig Baldie, the Country Director of principal sponsorship partner Lion NZ said Lion remained committed to supporting the standalone awards.

“We look forward to the opportunity to come together to celebrate industry achievement and excellence, something more important than ever to do in these very challenging times.’

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