Three outstanding New Zealand entrepreneurs have been selected for the finals of the Pacific Asia Travel Association Young Tourism Entrepreneur Award to be held in Auckland on Oct. 14 as a part of the 2010 tourism industry awards.
The three finalists were chosen by leaders and specialists in the fields of accommodation, transport, and activity.
They include Hamish Pinkham, director of Rhythm and Vines (a successful New Year’s Eve event held in Gisborne which brings thousands of tourists and millions of dollars to the area each year), Ben Knill, director of Beek (an interactive online holiday planner), and Ryan Sanders, director of Haka Tours (small group tours to New Zealand’s volcanoes).
Tourism Industry Association chief executive Tim Cossar said the theme of this year’s awards is innovation and that these three had plenty of it. He also said that continual innovation and a commitment to that is what they were looking for when selecting the finalists.
The Young Tourism Entrepreneur Award, held since 1955, aims at fostering young talent so that they will be able to compete in a competitive international market where continued innovation is very important.
Previous winners of the award were Air New Zealand’s Grabaseat, WOMAD and Magic Travellers Network.
The three finalists were chosen by leaders and specialists in the fields of accommodation, transport, and activity.
They include Hamish Pinkham, director of Rhythm and Vines (a successful New Year’s Eve event held in Gisborne which brings thousands of tourists and millions of dollars to the area each year), Ben Knill, director of Beek (an interactive online holiday planner), and Ryan Sanders, director of Haka Tours (small group tours to New Zealand’s volcanoes).
Tourism Industry Association chief executive Tim Cossar said the theme of this year’s awards is innovation and that these three had plenty of it. He also said that continual innovation and a commitment to that is what they were looking for when selecting the finalists.
The Young Tourism Entrepreneur Award, held since 1955, aims at fostering young talent so that they will be able to compete in a competitive international market where continued innovation is very important.
Previous winners of the award were Air New Zealand’s Grabaseat, WOMAD and Magic Travellers Network.
