Sudima Hotels is adding to its trophy cabinet after winning three awards at last week’s New Zealand Tourism Awards, including the Supreme Tourism Award, the most prestigious in the New Zealand tourism industry.
As proof of its well-rounded approach to the environment, it’s guests, people and communities, along with the overall Supreme Award the New Zealand hotel group also took home the hotly contested Environmental Award and the Employer of Choice Award.
These accolades enhance an already gleaming awards cabinet for the hotel group, which has won multiple prizes in recent years including the Environmental Award in 2017, in recognition for its continued leadership and drive to improve its own sustainability while advocating for positive change within the industry.
The 2019 judges said Sudima Hotels is getting better all the time, with a broad range of superb initiatives that are making a difference to the business, the environment and the wider community. The winners of the 2019 New Zealand Tourism Awards were announced last week at an awards dinner at the Horncastle Arena in Christchurch.
The recognition comes as Sudima Hotels gears up for a big 2020: after opening its five-star Sudima Christchurch City this year on top of three existing hotels in Auckland, Rotorua and Christchurch, the group is set to open a hotel in the Auckland CBD and Kaikōura in late 2020.
Sudima Hotels Chief Executive Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala says, “It’s been a rough week for the tourism and hospitality industry with the NZICC fire, and in the wider business community where the Emissions Trading Scheme remains contentious at a political level."
Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala, Chief Executive, Sudima HotelsSustainability has been a core value and at the heart of many initiatives for Sudima Hotels over many years, and we believe through a variety of initiatives, from banning single use plastic to becoming the first carboNZero-rated hotel, that there can be collective power in businesses – in all sectors – collaborating and sharing intel to significantly reduce our environmental footprint.
“Real immediate change isn’t going to come from government edicts or policy debate, it’s going to come from all of us taking action and doing our part now. We are proud that our efforts have been recognised by the New Zealand Tourism Awards judges and hope that others will join us in doing more for customers, staff, communities and the environment.”
The group’s COO Les Morgan says of the Environmental Award: “It’s a tremendous honour and a reflection of everything we do in sustainability. We take a strategic approach that encompasses management practices, environmentally sustainable and innovative buildings, New Zealand’s only CarboNZero-rated hotels, and agreements with sustainably focused suppliers.
Les Morgan, Chief Operating Officer, Sudima HotelsPeople and values are cornerstones of our brand - our customer experience stems from them. Trust, respect and fairness run through the organisation. In all respects, our organisation embodies the notion of kaitiakitanga.
