Taupo holiday park's geothermal water initiatives win national awards

Innovative and environmentally sustainable use of scalding geothermal water to benefit both visitors and nearby businesses has two major awards for a Taupo holiday park.

Taupo DeBretts Spa Resort won the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand (TIANZ) Tourism 2025 Innovation Award and the Jasons Smart Business Award at the annual Holiday Parks Awards.

The park also won the Seekom Innovation in Online Marketing Award.

The Awards ceremony was held during the holiday park sector’s recent annual conference, attended by about 300 Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand (HAPNZ) members.

HAPNZ Chief Executive Fergus Brown says Taupo DeBretts’ entry stood out for its clever thinking and finding opportunities to benefit neighbouring businesses.

TIANZ Chief Executive Chris Roberts added that the innovation is an excellent example of putting Tourism 2025 initiatives into action, improving both productivity and the visitor experience.

Taupo DeBretts uses geothermally heated water but needed to cool it considerably before it could be used in its swimming complex and two new curved hydroslides. The park harnesses the geothermal heat for accommodation heating, and to heat water for its laundry and almost half its showers.

However, with excess heat the holiday park approached the adjacent Hilton Hotel which now uses the geothermal heat to heat the property, and for heating and hot water in its swimming pool and spa facilities.

After the heat has been extracted at the Hilton, the cooler water is returned to Debretts at a usable 50 degrees Celsius.

Park Director Barry Kirkland explains “natural geothermal energy in our region has given us significant savings on electrical, gas heating and reticulation costs as well as a better customer experience.

“The Hilton is now able to shut off gas and electrical heating. This is not only a fantastic financial result, the environmental benefits are outstanding.”

A full list of Holiday Park 2015 Award winners follows.

AA Traveller Spirit of Hospitality Award

Winner: Mawley Holiday Park, Masterton

Finalists: Beachaven Kiwi Holiday Park, Waihi Beach 
Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park
Waikanae Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park
Whangateau Holiday Park

Outstanding Service to the Holiday Park Industry, sponsored by the TOP 10 Group

Winner: Doug and Rhonda Levien

ServiceIQ Visitor Experience Award

Winner: Raglan Kopua Holiday Park, Rob and Mark Clark

Jasons Smart Business Award

Winner: Taupo DeBretts Spa Resort

Finalists: Koutu Beach Holiday Park
Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park

Tourism Industry Association – Tourism 2025 Innovation Award

Winner: Taupo DeBretts Spa Resort

Tourism Industry Association Innovation Award

Winner: Urenui Beach Camp, Taranaki

Finalists: Mangawhai Heads Holiday Park
Mercury Bay Holiday Park
Ruakaka Holiday Park
Whangateau Holiday Park

Seekom Innovation in Online Marketing

Winner: Taupo DeBretts Spa Resort

Highly commended: Belt Road Seaside Holiday Park, New Plymouth

Resco – Best Upgrade Award

Winner: Sandspit Holiday Park, Warkworth, owned by Jared and Zena Morrison

Highly commended: Belt Road Seaside Holiday Park, New Plymouth
Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park, New Plymouth

Finalists: Foxton Beach Holiday Park
Hot Water Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park
Orewa TOP 10 Holiday Park
Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park
Rotorua TOP 10 Holiday Park
Ruakaka Beach Holiday Park
Urenui Beach Camp, Taranaki

PGG Wrightson Turf – Park Grounds Award

Winner: Hot Water Beach TOP 10 Holiday Park, owned by Sheree and Grant Webster

Highly commended: Flaxmill Bay Accommodation and Campground

Finalists: Rotorua TOP 10 Holiday Park
Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park
Te Anau Kiwi Holiday Park
Urenui Beach Camp, Taranaki

For more information on the Holiday Parks 2015 conference, go to www.holidayparks.co.nz/conference-program

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31st December 2014 - NEW WATERSLIDES OPENED AT TAUPO DEBRETTS SPA RESORT

5th November 2014 - NEW ZEALAND TOURISM MOVES TOWARDS 2025 GOALS