Oh my goodness! The Women In Travel Awards is so close that if we were on the bus we’d ask it to stop breathing on us!
And in the spirit of closeness (and elevating women in the travel industry) we had a chat to our friends representing Australia’s closest country: New Zealand!
Why, you may ask? Well, because Tourism New Zealand has graciously decided to support this fabulous event and come on as one of our sponsors. And sharing more about the decision is Tourism New Zealand’s trade development manager for Australia, Sandra Etter (featured image: right).
“The awards elevate women who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and courage – pillars which are equally embraced and embedded within the work we do at Tourism New Zealand,” Etter told Travel Weekly.
“Finding opportunities to foster these pillars within the workforce is just as important, to uplift each other and where we can, support those within our community. We’ve been fortunate to partner with Tupa Toa, a graduate program designed to create pathways for Māori and Pacific tertiary students, supporting their journey as emerging industry professionals.”
Tourism New Zealand has come on as a sponsor of the Sustainable Practices Champion award, a fitting category for NZ as its tourism industry fosters travel that gives back. The New Zealand government is developing an Industry Transformation Plan that aims to ensure the industry has the workforce it needs to support recovery and that its impact on the environment is mitigated.
“At Tourism New Zealand we embed sustainability in our purpose – to enrich Aotearoa and all who visit – and by 2030 it is our vision that all visitors to New Zealand are high-quality and lead to a more productive and regenerative Aotearoa New Zealand. This is also expressed in our work, such as the Tiaki Promise,” Etter said, adding that the Tiaki Promise is a commitment to care for New Zealand, “for now and for future generations.”
“We include the Tiaki Promise throughout our activity,” she continued, “enabling travel sellers and experts to be familiar with the commitment through resources on our Travel Industry Website, and encouraging them to share it with their customers ahead of travel to New Zealand.”
The Tiaki Promise was created by several organisations across the New Zealand tourism landscape, including Tourism New Zealand, and helps guide the behaviour of visitors, encouraging them to travel safely and conscientiously. This is something Tourism NZ considers essential to fostering progression regarding regenerative travel and tourism.
“Through collaboration and open communication, the tourism industry can continue to push itself to set new milestones, find opportunities for growth and learn from each other.”
Which is exactly what Travel Weekly wants to achieve through our Women In Travel Awards.
A big thank you to Tourism New Zealand for sponsoring these awards and to all of our other sponsors.
(Featured Image L-R: Andrew Waddel, Tourism New Zealand general manager – Australia, Sarah Harrison campaign manager, Sandra Etter trade development manager)
