Auckland War Memorial Museum receives Qualmark Gold Award for sustainable tourism

Auckland War Memorial Museum, for the fourth consecutive year, has secured the highly coveted Qualmark Gold Award for its exceptional commitment to sustainable tourism practices. The recognition, awarded under the Sustainable Tourism Business criteria, reaffirms the Museum's dedication to environmental stewardship and its ongoing efforts to provide a responsible and immersive visitor experience.

Auckland War Memorial Museum is one of New Zealand's first museums. The Museum tells the story of New Zealand, its place in the Pacific and its people. The Museum is a war memorial for the province of Auckland and holds one of New Zealand's top three heritage libraries. It has pre-eminent Māori and Pacific collections, significant natural history resources and major social and military history collections, as well as decorative arts and pictorial collections.  

Qualmark, New Zealand's official tourism quality assurance organisation, rigorously assesses tourism businesses across the country based on sustainability, quality, and ethical practices. The Gold Award, their highest accolade, is a testament to Auckland Museum's unwavering dedication to sustainable tourism and its outstanding contributions to preserving and promoting New Zealand's rich cultural and natural heritage.

Natasha Colhoun, Senior Manager, Tourism & Commercial Events at Auckland Museum notes "Qualmark Gold is highly prized in the tourism market segment and is very difficult to obtain let alone maintain. From both a domestic and international tourism perspective it is significant that Auckland Museum be recognised as one of the best sustainable tourism businesses in New Zealand.

"The Award shows we pride ourselves on our delivery of exceptional customer experiences as an integral part of everything we do.”

After a prolonged absence of visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Auckland Museum has maintained a commitment to adhering to sustainable practices and providing a safe environment for visitors. The Qualmark review highlighted the Museum’s focus on cultural offerings, tours, digital presence and building, as strengths in offering a gold-standard experience for visitors.

Auckland Museum's achievement of the Qualmark Gold Award recognises a world-class visitor experience but also ensures a vibrant and resilient future for Auckland's tourism sector.