Hotel group earns top title at tourism industry's gala awards

11:02 pm on 24 October 2019

A New Zealand hotel group has taken out the top title at the tourism industry's gala awards night in Christchurch.

Sudima Hotel in Auckland. Photo: Google Maps

More than 430 industry leaders and supporters celebrated achievements in tourism, with a special focus on environmental sustainability.

Sudima Hotels received the Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award, also taking out the Tourism Talent Employer of Choice

Award and the Enviro-Mark Solutions Environmental Award.

The awards' judges said Sudima had a broad range of initiatives that were making a difference to the business, the environment, and community.

Glenys Coughlan took out tourism's most prestigious individual honour, the Horwath HTL Sir Jack Newman Award, after an extensive career including high profile management positions at Air New Zealand and Tourism Central Otago.

More than 365,000 people work in the visitor economy, which is nearly 15 percent of the total number of people employed in New Zealand.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Chris Roberts said the awards were extremely competitive, reflecting a thriving industry.

Tourism Industry Association chief executive Chris Roberts Photo: RNZ / Teresa Cowie

After receiving more than 110 entries for the awards, they were whittled down to 37 finalists.

"It's pleasing to see the focus our business winners are putting on environmental and host community sustainability, as well as financial performance," Mr Roberts said.

Tourism is in the country's biggest export earner, and is a $107 million per day industry.