Hospitality Awards for Excellence 2022 attract record entries
Four new award categories to recognise industry stalwarts during COVID
Attracting record numbers of entries for the 2022 ‘Hospitality Awards for Excellence’, Hospitality New Zealand (HNZ) has announced four new awards this year to celebrate the industry leaders who played major roles as the sector struggle to live with COVID-19.
The four new categories are Leader of the Year in Hospitality; Leader of the Year in Accommodation; Future Leader of the Year, and Chef of the Year.
HNZ Chief Executive, Julie White said this year’s event will also see an induction into the ‘Hospitality Hall of Fame’.
A record 260 entries have been received this year, including nominations for 155 venues, a vast increase on the 192 entries, including 127 venues, received for the ‘online’ event staged in 2021.
Ms White said the increased numbers show that despite what has happened over the past year, the spirit of industry people has not been crushed and their resilience is showing through.
“We are looking forward to recognising and rewarding members who have been through a stressful and uncertain year to create the highest possible standards and experiences for both their guests and their team,” she said.
“These awards are the pinnacle of our industry, and we were hoping there would be a lot of interest, so the fact we have record entries is really fantastic.
“We are looking forward to recognising and rewarding members who have been through a stressful and uncertain year to create the highest possible standards and experiences for both their guests and their team.
“Being able to do this in person for the first time in three years is something the industry needs and deserves.”
Now in its 24th year, and again sponsored by long-time supporter Lion New Zealand, the ‘Hospitality Awards for Excellence’ event is the longest-running, biggest, most prestigious national hospitality awards.
Winners will be revealed at the award ceremony on 27 July in Grand Millennium Hotel Auckland.
The ceremony will wrap up the two-day New Zealand Hospitality Conference. With its theme ‘The Future of Hospitality’.
For further information on the awards, and to purchase tickets to the awards ceremony, visit www.hospitality.org.nz/s/awards
Mike Parker-Brown is a UK-trained and qualified journalist and an award-winning travel communicator with more than 30 years experience.
Since 2002, Mike has worked as a freelance writer and PR consultant providing his services to major organisations in Australia and internationally in the tourism, aviation, hospitality, recruitment and export marketing sectors.
