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Triple Whammy of AwardsPosted 17 October 2010
Tourism Industry Association CEO Tim Cossar and Waitangi National Trust CEO Jeanette Richardson
Business, buildings and leadership have all been honoured in one dramatic week of acknowledgements for the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, and its management. Thursday last week was a red letter day, with two separate awards received on the one evening in Auckland. Then, on Saturday, the week was topped off with the Treaty Grounds taking the Supreme Award in the Northland Business Excellence Awards. 'Overwhelming' was the reaction from CEO Jeanette Richardson. At the New Zealand Tourism Awards ceremony In The Langham Hotel's "Great Room", Ms Richardson was honoured for her Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in New Zealand. Meanwhile, at St Matthew-in-the-City, the NZ Institute of Architects gave a Local Architecture Award to Harris Butt (HB) Architecture for the light, bright and creative new visitor facilities (bathrooms) at Waitangi, in a bush setting near the new coffee shop and existing visitor centre. This honour marks "quality new architecture" and signals the future focus now driving the enhanced visitor experience at Waitangi. On Saturday night, the awarding of Best Tourism Operator at the Northland Business Excellence Awards was to be the harbinger of greater honour. Accepting the first award, Jeanette Richardson was accompanied on stage by Waitangi kapa haka performers who performed an impressive haka. Then it was back to receive the Supreme Award. "We were just floored – it has been the most astonishing, gratifying week," said Jeanette Richardson. Destination Northland CEO Brian Roberts says "The Northland Visitor industry should be very proud of what the Waitangi National Trust and its CEO Jeanette Richardson have achieved over the last few years and the awards are a great recognition of their efforts. The profile will also assist the region immensely in attracting further visitors in the future."
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