Opinion: Celebrating Rotorua success

Supreme winners Canopy Tours celebrate at the Rotorua Business Awards. Photo/Andrew Warner.

This is a great week to celebrate Rotorua.

Rotorua's visitor industry has seen its best August on record for visitor numbers and that follows on from a record-breaking July. Rotorua experienced 139,300 visitor nights for the month. That was up 20,900 nights or 18 per cent on August 2015, that's compared to a six per cent increase nationally. And, it's looking like it's going to be a bumper summer for our tourism industry which means Rotorua will be on a high.

A huge congratulations to the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce. Last Saturday they hosted another amazing evening. Yet another successful Rotorua Business Awards evening dedicated to recognising the amazing talents and the huge volume of work that goes on every day here in Rotorua.

Congratulations to Ray Cook, winner of the Business Person of the Year award. I know Ray likes to work quietly, essentially in the background. He certainly does not dedicate any of his time trying to get everyone's attention. But last Saturday night he was centre stage and rightly so. Ray has contributed to Rotorua tourism and economic growth through his work as a property developer and board member for more than 25 years.

To the team at Canopy Tours - congratulations for all of your hard work. The winning of the Supreme Award. The judges said Canopy Tours did a fantastic job of celebrating and promoting all that was wonderful about Rotorua and the region.

Canopy Tours is a company that lives every day in the natural environment, it is a company dedicated to improving the habitat in which they operate, and more.

When I spoke to the team it was clear that they don't just have a great brand on the page and in their marketing material. It is an ethos and a belief that permeates all that they do in running their business and interacting with their customers.

It is important to acknowledge also that it was Canopy Tours that only three weeks ago won the 2016 Air New Zealand Visitor Experience Award and then they topped that by winning the 2016 Supreme Tourism Award. The judges from that award said, "at the heart of Rotorua Canopy Tours' success is an exceptional visitor experience that has raised the bar of personalisation, authenticity and fun".

Yet again Croucher Brewing has made its mark on the national craft beer market. They have snapped up a trophy at the Brewers Guild of New Zealand 2016 Beer Awards. This was specifically for their 2.5 per cent low-alcohol Lowrider which received the trophy for best specialty beer. Well done and congratulations to Nigel and Paul.

And yet another celebratory note - well done to the team at Sport of Kings. They scooped up the Accommodation Host of the Year award at Hospitality New Zealand's 2016 Awards for Excellence gala dinner. Judges commended the Sport of Kings Motel for their "home away from home" approach and applauded owners, Pete and Tristen Williams.

It's wonderful to be able to celebrate local success where and when we can.

Well done to everyone again and here's to a bumper summer season in Rotorua.

- Fletcher Tabuteau is a Rotorua-based NZ First list MP.