Queenstown holiday park recognised for green initiatives

An environmentally conscious holiday park is receiving national and international recognition for its sustainability innovations.

Queenstown Top 10 Holiday Park Creeksyde owners Erna and Tonnie Spijkerbosch have garnered recognition for their world class green initiatives in three separate green award events.

The holiday park has been a finalist in New Zealand's Green Ribbon Awards, achieved their ninth Benchmark status for international certification program EarthCheck, and entered the SKAL Sustainable Development in Tourism award.

Erna Spijkerbosch and nominator Marion Metz were recently at the Green Ribbon Awards ceremony in Wellington as finalists in the Waste Minimisation category. Recognised 'for their outstanding work educating guests, staff and their local community about how to reduce waste', the Spijkerboschs said they were "delighted" with the acknowledgement.

Erna Spijkerbosch explained "we've always worked hard to make education a key aspect of our environmental initiatives"We have a waste recycling centre where guests are encouraged to sort their waste and to think about their purchasing habits to reduce what might go to landfill. We then measure and monitor our waste so we keep disposal costs down and minimise what goes to landfill."

As well as educating staff and guests on re-using and recycling, the couple also speak regularly to Queenstown Resort College students on raising environmental awareness.

EarthCheck is the largest environmental management system used by the travel and tourism industry for benchmarking and certifying sustainable operational practices. It has acknowledged Creeksyde for being an operator which carries out its daily operations in ways that are compliant with the highest standards of the EarthCheck programme.

Erna Spijkerbosch adds "EarthCheck is very important to us. Not only is it an internationally recognised accreditation, it is also a very stringent process to go through."

Creeksyde is world renowned for its commitment to sustainable practice and in 2003 was the world's first holiday park to be environmentally Green Globe benchmarked. In 2004 it was the first to be Green Globe certified.

The SKAL awards will be judged on criteria including contribution to the conservation of nature, environmental considerations, community involvement and benefits and innovation.

SKAL is the largest organisation of travel and tourism professionals in the world, encompassing all sectors of the tourism industry. The organisation first held the Sustainable Development in Tourism Award in 2002 in an effort to recognise eco-initiatives and responsible tourism.

Erna Spijkerbosch concludes "we've always been committed to effective green initiatives here at the park, and to be recognised at the SKAL awards would truly put Creeksyde and Queenstown, New Zealand, on the sustainable tourism map."

The team at Queenstown Top 10 Holiday Park Creeksyde carries out non-chemical cleaning, environmentally-friendly lawn fertilising, high level recycling and worm composting.

Other actions include reusing recyclable materials at the park, which has resulted in interesting features such as decorative BBQ areas, kitchen floors and benches.

For further information contact Erna Spijkerbosch, Queenstown Top 10 Holiday Park Creeksyde on 03 442 9447, E: erna@camp.co.nz, www.camp.co.nz

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