Kea Campers – a national icon of tourism business

Kea Campers – a national icon of tourism business excellence

Kea Campers are New Zealand’s happiest campers after achieving the unique feat of taking out the Supreme Award in the Tourism Industry Awards for the second year in a row.

It is the first time any finalist has won the Supreme Award two years running in the 50 year history of the industry’s awards.

The company, which runs a national fleet of campervans and motorhomes, also picked up the major category award for Tourism and Transportation services and the major category award for Innovation.

The awards, announced tonight in Auckland, recognise business excellence and innovation within this dynamic growth industry.

“With the quality of the industry as a whole, and in particular the other nominees, the fact that Kea Campers won this award for the second time recognises their determination to grow their company in an innovative and customer oriented manner. This is combined with a strong business driven focus,” said Fiona Luhrs, Chief Executive of the Tourism Industry Association who manage the Awards.

“The company is aptly named, because the Kea has an unusual ability to learn as well as create new solutions to whatever problems they encounter. Kea Campers continue to exceed the expectations of their customers through their technology enhancements and fleet development in a continual learning process. The Judges noted that these were the attributes that won Kea Campers the ultimate award,” she said.

Other major category award winners were: Visitor accommodation -Heritage Queenstown, Visitor Activities and Attractions - Otago Museum.

Winners of special awards were: Qualmark ‘Tourism mark of quality’ –Dive! Tutukaka; Westpac Small Tourism Business Operator award - Elm Wildlife Tours; Green Globe 21 Environmental Award - Elm Wildlife Tours; Telecom People’s Choice Tourism Award - New Zealand Tourism Online; PATA Young Tourism Professional Award - Malcolm Johns, CEO Inter City Group (NZ) Ltd; Horwarth Asia Pacific Sir Jack Newman Award - Peter Lowry, former CEO Inbound Tour Operators Council of New Zealand and Travel Agents Association of New Zealand.

The Tourism Industry Awards were held during the annual Tourism Industry Conference.

Key statistics about tourism:

Tourism is the world's fastest growing industry

New Zealand tourism arrivals have doubled in size since 1994

Forecast annual growth is about 5% on average for the next five years

Tourism is New Zealand's single largest export sector which accounted for 18.5% of exports in the year to March 2004.

Tourism generated $17.2 billion, with $7.4 billion from international visitors and $9.8 from domestic visitors, into the economy in the year ended March 2004.

Tourism directly and indirectly employs 10 percent of the work force. That is one in 10 jobs in New Zealand.

Tourism contributes 9.4% of gross domestic product. It generates nearly $500 million in GST returns from international visitors each year. Tourism is the only export sector whose international clients pay GST. Domestic visitors contribute another $800 million in GST to the economy.

New Zealand Tourism Awards 2005

Winners by Category

Category Company
Major Category

Visitor Accommodation
Hotel Accommodation Heritage Queenstown, Queenstown
Self Contained and Serviced Accommodation Regal Palms – 5 Star City Resort, Rotorua

Major Category Winner

Visitor Accommodation Heritage Queenstown, Queenstown

Major Category

Visitor Activities and Attractions
Adventure Activities Shotover Jet, Queenstown
Leisure Activities Elm Wildlife Tours, Dunedin
Culture and Heritage Tourism Otago Museum, Dunedin
Visitor Attractions Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa, Hanmer Springs

Major Category Winner

Visitor Activities and Attractions Otago Museum, Dunedin

Major Category

Tourism and Transportation Services
Tourism Communications and Information Services New Zealand Tourism Online, Christchurch

Tourism Distribution ATS Pacific New Zealand, Auckland
Tourism Service Providers International Travel College of New Zealand
Transportation Providers Kea Campers, Auckland

Major Category Winner

Tourism and Transportation Services Kea Campers, Auckland

Major Category

Tourism Innovators
Innovation in Eco Tourism Awaroa Lodge, Abel Tasman National Park
Innovation in E-Commerce and New Technology Kea Campers, Auckland
Innovation in Events, Meetings and Incentives Hokitika Wildfoods Festival, Hokitika

Major Innovator Award Winner Kea Campers, Auckland

Supreme Award Kea Campers, Auckland

Special Awards
Qualmark “Tourism Mark of Quality” Award Dive! Tutukaka, Tutukaka

Westpac Small Tourism Business Operator Award Elm Wildlife Tours, Dunedin
Green Globe 21 Environmental Award Elm Wildlife Tours, Dunedin

Telecom Peoples Choice Tourism Award New Zealand Tourism Online, Chtistchurch

PATA Young Tourism Professional Awards Malcolm Johns, CEO Inter City Group (NZ) Ltd

Horwath Asia Pacific Sir Jack Newman Award Peter Lowry, ITOC

Distinction Award
Elm Wildlife Tours, Dunedin Winners in 1999, 2000 and 2005
Otago Musuem, Dunedin Winners in 2003, 2004 and 2005
KEA Campers Winners in 2003, 2004 and 2005

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