Award Winners at NZ Holiday Parks Conference

Winners of this year's Holiday Parks Awards were announced at the Holiday Parks Association of New Zealand (HAPNZ) annual conference held in Rotorua.

North South Holiday Park in Christchurch is the winner of the industryâs premier award, the AA Spirit of Hospitality Award. This award recognises excellence in customer service and reflects the importance that the holiday park sector places on manaakitanga and looking after their guests. It was presented by Peter Blackwell, General Manager of AA Tourism.

Finalists for the AA Spirit of Hospitality Award were All Seasons Holiday Park â Christchurch, Bowentown Beach Holiday Park â Waihi, Hot Water Beach Holiday Park â Coromandel Peninsula, Smiths Farm Holiday Park â Marlborough Sounds and Whananaki Holiday Park in Northland.

The Jasons SMART Business Award was won by Fox Glacier Holiday Park, recognising the effort that Linda and Adrian Pine have put into developing the range of walking products that encourage their visitors to stay longer. Mary Ansell, General Manager of Jasons Travel Media, presented the award.

A new award acknowledging Outstanding Service to the holiday park sector was presented to Peter Blackwell from AA Tourism. This new award was sponsored by the TOP 10 Group and was presented by TOP 10 Holiday Parks Group General Manager John McCann. In presenting the award, John paid tribute to Peterâs enthusiasm, energy and empathy with the holiday park sector and his continued commitment to domestic tourism.

The Reserve Group Innovation Award went to Tahuna Beach Holiday Park for their development of heat pump water heating systems resulting in both energy savings and a reduction in emissions. The heat pump systems were supplied by Quantum Eco Hot Water.

Highly commended certificates in the innovation category were presented to Papamoa Beach TOP 10 Holiday Resort, Waihi Beach Holiday Park and Enform Web Solutions for their web based park management system and Franz Josef TOP 10 Holiday Park for their online activity reservation system.

The Qualmark & THL Award for the holiday park which showed the most improvement in their Qualmark assessments went to Orere Point TOP 10 Holiday Park.

Qualmark and THL also presented a free Qualmark licence to Waikouaiti Beach Camping Ground in Dunedin.

Four special park sector people were recognised with Dot and George Parsons from Cambridge Motor Park and Lindsay and Margaret McLeod from Aaron Lodge TOP 10 Holiday Park in Dunedin being appointed Honorary Members of the Association in recognition of their services to the industry over many years.

The Holiday Parks Conference & Trade Exhibition was held at the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua and was attended by over 300 delegates.

For further information, please contact HAPNZ Chief Executive Fergus Brown 04 298 3283 or 021 535 087.