Gold for Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa

Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa named among country’s best for sustainable tourism.

Tourism New Zealand has granted a Qualmark Gold Sustainable Tourism Business Award to the North Canterbury alpine thermal pools and spa complex.

The award means Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa is among those businesses ‘leading the way in making the New Zealand tourism industry a world class sustainable visitor destination’. 

Judges noted that the tourist attraction is, “an exceptionally good and well-run business.” 

Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa general manager Graeme Abbot says the award is testament to staff and customers who have adapted to the last two years of business operations. 

“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we continued to strive for excellence across all levels of the business with a continued focus on sustainability. So where we can’t recycle rubbish, it is compacted. 

We preserve heat loss and save on electricity by covering the pools when they are not in use, and our methane electricity generator continues to bring great savings by converting methane to a future energy source.” 

Judges acknowledged too that despite trading in and around lockdowns, and at reduced capacity under traffic light settings the complex evidenced best practice. Best practice and excellent standards were evident across economic, environment and culture, social and people and health and safety within the business. 

Graeme says maintaining excellence has never just been about the complex as an individual business. 

“This award is for the Hurunui region, home to countless small and locally-owned businesses who have supported us and joined us in creating an attractive destination to our domestic visitors over the past two years.” 

The Qualmark awards can be used as a guide by travellers who want assurance that they are paying for high quality, safe and sustainable NZ experiences. 

“Now that we are opening back up to the world again these awards are even more important. We want to showcase the very best to international visitors and attract travellers from all over. This gives eager travellers peace of mind at a time when many businesses will be vying for tourism dollar once more,” says Graeme.