GeoZone Wins at Innovation Awards

GeoZone wins at Innovation Awards

A hunger for innovation and a passion for tourism is behind the success of campervan companion app CamperMate.

The app has just been declared winner of the Innovation in Tourism & Entertainment category at the Innovation Awards 2017.

Christchurch-based company GeoZone built the CamperMate app to solve problems in the tourism industry.

With more than 55,000 unique users each day across New Zealand and Australia since launching six years ago, CamperMate tells travellers the best spots to stay and visit - including driveways they can park in - offers exclusive deals, and reviews from other travellers.

Founder Adam Hutchinson said tonight’s recognition was “the icing on the cake” for the tech startup.

“Tonight’s award is recognition of the countless late nights, the scary financial moments, and the constant challenges that startups like GeoZone go through in making a product that people rely on to discover this beautiful country. It’s been a tough but incredibly rewarding journey and being recognised as a top tourism innovator in New Zealand makes it all the more sweeter.

“It’s not just about revenue for us; we want to help make tourism more sustainable. We can do that thanks to our innovative and passionate team.”

Data created from the app, which is used by the likes of AVIS, Maui, Britz, Mighty, NZMCA, YHA and the CamperMate TomTom app, is used to solve tangible tourism issues.

Hutchinson said one of the most popular innovations saw sensors installed in the ground at Wellington’s only freedom camping site to show app users if spaces were available in real-time.

“This solved a contentious issue around the overcrowding of freedom camping facilities. Data showed that 100 per cent of the tourists who have learnt of the site being full changed their behaviour, helping Wellington City Council solve the freedom camping issue and showing tourists are happy to act responsibly once given the right information.”

Hutchinson said tonight’s recognition was a further nod the GeoZone team was making real changes in the industry - a path he says the company will continue down.

GeoZone was founded by Hutchinson in June 2013 and won the 2015 Hi-Tech Awards for

Innovative Mobile Product. It was acquired by Tourism Holdings later that year.

The NZ Innovation Awards celebrate and recognise innovative New Zealand businesses and individuals.

The awards are organised by the New Zealand Innovation Council, a nationwide community of innovators, entrepreneurs, business people and business growth service providers.

This year’s winners were announced at an awards dinner at the ANZ Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland.

ENDS

© Scoop Media