Black Cat Cruises NZ Tourism Awards finalist

Black Cat Cruises New Zealand Tourism Awards finalist

Media release 16 august 2010  

Banks Peninsula tourism operator Black Cat Cruises is a finalist in the DOC Conservation in Action category in Action in this year’s Tourism Industry Awards.

Black Cat Cruises managing Director Paul Bingham said this year’s awards have been revamped and they focus highly on innovation.

“Our entry focused on the innovative conservation activities we have put in place in three main areas including reducing energy use, reducing waste and our local conservation efforts,” he said.

Reducing energy use efforts have included specialised intersleek paint on our vessels, bio-fuel examination and dry suits for our dolphin swim trips.

“In our efforts to reduce waste we recycle boarding passes and local conservation work has included kids’ activity books, dolphin education via interpretation, penguin predator trapping, supporting the walk for hectors and our work with the Quail Island Trust.”

This year’s finalists were selected by assessors representing a wide range of industry leaders and specialists. The winners will be chosen by a panel of expert judges and announced at a celebration event in Auckland on 14 October, attended by Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key.

Bingham said it was great to be recognised for Black Cat’s conservation work by the industry and DOC and “is a great accolade which we are very proud of.”

“As the largest tourism operator in Banks Peninsula and one with a reliance on our natural environment we seek to be a leader in environment conservation programmes.”

“We recognise that we have a unique and special responsibility to the marine environment that we operate in and especially to one of the world's rarest dolphins - the Hector's Dolphins.

The company will celebrate 25 years in business later this year and this is the first time it has entered the awards since winning the Supreme Tourism Award in 2003.

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