The Travel Awards are “a good indicator of market-leading work”, says Tourism NZ boss

Photography by andre&dominqiue

With the entry deadline for the The Travel Awards 2019 closing this Friday, we thought we’d give you a little bit more inspiration in the way of another interview with one of last year’s winners.

Tourism New Zealand was named Tourism Board of the Year at the Australian Travel Awards in 2018 (which has since been renamed The Travel Awards).

Here, we chat to Tourism New Zealand’s general manager for Australia, Andrew Waddell, about what impact the win has had on the organisation, as well as advice for those looking to enter this year’s awards:

TW: What did it mean for Tourism New Zealand to win the Tourism Board of the Year category at last year’s awards? How has it positively impacted the organisation?

It’s fantastic recognition and feedback on our trade media campaigns, training events and famils.

AW: Almost 50 per cent of all Australians that travel to New Zealand book through traditional trade channels, so travel agents are the real ambassadors and storytellers of destination New Zealand.

Winning the Tourism Board of the Year’ award was about who we were, what we stand for and how we operate and engage within the Australian industry. For us as a team and organisation, this will always be more important than the final result. What’s interesting about this is that while it is enjoyed, you don’t need an award for this to be recognised. You can feel it as a team – with the interactions with partners, travel agents and the day-to-day feedback.

TW: Apart from winning, what did you/Tourism New Zealand love most about last year’s awards?

AW: The awards night was an opportunity to unite and connect with the industry and celebrate the great people we all work with. We were on the same table as Tourism Australian, South Australian Tourism and Avis, which was fantastic. We shared highs and lows from the year and ensured we were the loudest table if anyone took out an award.

TW: Will Tourism New Zealand be entering/attending this year’s awards?

AW: Yes. We’ve had a great start to the year, challenging ourselves and how New Zealand shows up in a highly competitive marketplace.

The awards give us a chance to reflect, consider, learn and acknowledge (win or not) what we have achieved in a year. At the end of the day, our benchmark is other brands in Australia, and we want to understand how we’re performing versus the best. Nominations and awards are a good indicator of calibre and market-leading work.

TW: What tips do you have for those organisations entering this year’s awards?

AW: It might be cliché; however, the journey is more important than the final destination. Sure, the output is what delivers the end result, but we always like to consider the ‘why’ and ‘how’ along the way. This is where the magic happens, which enables you to pivot and create impact for the future.


Organised by Travel Weekly, part of The Misfits Media Company, in association with media partner Better Homes and Gardens and principal partner Crystal, The Travel Awards are designed to celebrate wholesalers, destinations, airlines, tourism boards, cruise lines, retailers and the myriad of other companies that make the travel industry so amazing.

Capitalising on the phenomenal reach of Better Homes and Gardens, these awards will also offer travel brands the chance of winning an incredible advertising package worth $75,000 from which to market themselves.

Judged by more than 50 of Australia’s most experienced travel industry alumni and experts from the marketing sector, 37 categories cover the full gamut of the travel industry.

We also have some new and updated categories this year, so be sure to review the criteria document closely before submitting your entry/entries.

And, of course, the highly coveted Grand Prix Award will shine a light on one company making the biggest, most impressive splash in the industry.

The deadline for entries to this year’s awards is Friday 30 August 2019, meaning you have not long to get your s**t together. Get cracking on your submission now HERE!

We’ve provided a few handy tips on impressing the judges, which you can check out here.

This year, the Travel Awards will be held on Friday 29 November at The Venue Alexandria in Sydney, marking the perfect time to celebrate a year of hard work and to recharge your batteries for another year ahead.

Click HERE to secure your spot at the awards and take advantage of the early bird ticket special! The dress code for the sit-down-dinner affair is black tie.

Below are the key dates for The Travel Awards 2019…

Entry deadline: Friday 30 August 2019 ($99 per entry)

Late entry deadline: Friday 6 September 2019 ($149 per entry)

Finalists announced: Thursday 3 October 2019

Early bird ticket sale deadline: Friday 4 October 2019 at 5PM (AEST)

Full-price tickets on sale: Saturday 5 October 2019 until sold out

Awards night: Friday 29 November 2019 at The Venue Alexandria, Sydney

Best of luck to those entering The Travel Awards 2019, and kudos to all the sponsors for this year’s event, which you can check out below…

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