Tongariro River Rafting, Tūrangi: Honored By New Zealand Tourism Awards For Excellence In Visitor Experience And Sustainability

Published on September 8, 2025

Tongariro River Rafting, a tourism usability based successful Tūrangi, has received nickname arsenic a finalist successful 2 categories astatine nan 2025 New Zealand Tourism Awards. The business has been nominated for nan Visitor Experience Award and nan Tourism Excellence Award (Micro Business). The winners of these prestigious awards will beryllium announced connected 29 October successful Wellington, marking a important milestone for this family-owned and locally-focused business.

The New Zealand Tourism Awards, which are presented by nan Tourism Industry of Aotearoa (TIA), observe excellence wrong New Zealand’s tourism sector. The awards are highly regarded successful nan industry, pinch nominations being wished by a sheet of tourism professionals who cautiously measure nan impact, sustainability, and visitant experiences offered by businesses crossed nan country.

A Well-Deserved Recognition for Tongariro River Rafting

In a connection celebrating this singular achievement, Love Taupō General Manager Patrick Dault expressed his congratulations to nan squad astatine Tongariro River Rafting. Dault acknowledged nan grant of being named finalists and praised nan company’s dedication to creating exceptional experiences for visitors, while simultaneously focusing connected biology stewardship.

It was noted by Dault that nan team’s achievements were nary surprise, fixed their long-standing committedness to excellence. The business has built a estimation for delivering world-class experiences, peculiarly focused connected nan thrilling river rafting activities that pull adventurers from crossed nan globe. Additionally, nan business has demonstrated a accordant effort to sphere nan section environment, a worth that has go integral to nan company’s operations.

A Strong Commitment to Conservation

One of nan astir important elements contributing to nan business’s information is nan ongoing conservation efforts spearheaded by Garth Oakden, 1 of nan founders of Tongariro River Rafting. Oakden and his squad person actively worked to restore nan whio population (also known arsenic nan blue duck), a autochthonal New Zealand type that has go progressively endangered.

Since 2008, erstwhile nan organization of whio on nan Tongariro River was conscionable 25, Oakden’s inaugural and business pinch nan Blue Duck Project person resulted successful a singular summation successful nan number of these birds. The existent organization is now complete 300, a singular occurrence communicative for some nan type and nan efforts of nan Tongariro River Rafting squad successful their conservation work. This progressive engagement successful biology protection aligns perfectly pinch nan company’s halfway accuracy of balancing tourism pinch sustainable practices.

Sustainability and Community Impact astatine nan Heart of nan Business

The Visitor Experience Award is 1 of nan categories successful which Tongariro River Rafting has been nominated. This grant is presented to businesses that not only meet but transcend nan expectations of visitors. Judges praised nan institution for its accordant committedness to delivering outstanding experiences, moreover successful areas that are not considered awesome tourism hotspots. Tongariro River Rafting was recognized for its expertise to create immersive, adventure-filled activities, each while ensuring that nan surrounding situation is cared for and preserved.

The business’s operational occurrence is simply a nonstop consequence of its beardown culture, pinch each facet of nan institution designed astir delivering exceptional experiences for visitors. This is reflected not only successful their rafting tours but besides successful their heavy respect for nan stream and its earthy surroundings.

A Business that Values Quality Over Quantity

The Tourism Excellence Award (Micro Business) is different class wherever Tongariro River Rafting has been named a finalist. This grant recognizes mini tourism businesses pinch yearly turnover of nether $1.5 million that show excellence successful service, biology stewardship, and organization impact. It is simply a ceremony of businesses that prioritize nan wellbeing of their communities and nan sustainability of nan earthy situation while providing exceptional experiences for their visitors.

The judges praised Tongariro River Rafting for its strong value-driven ethos, which has guided nan business to attraction connected value complete quantity. The team’s dedication to providing a high-quality experience, while maintaining a sustainable and responsible attack to tourism, was peculiarly noted. By ensuring that their visitant experiences align pinch New Zealand’s Tourism Sustainability Commitments, Tongariro River Rafting has go a exemplary for different businesses aiming to harvester tourism pinch responsible biology practices.

A Legacy of Excellence

For Garth Oakden, this nickname is simply a proud infinitesimal for some himself and his dedicated team. Tongariro River Rafting has now entered nan awards for nan first time, and Oakden expressed his excitement astatine being named a finalist successful 2 categories. He highlighted nan difficult activity of his team, noting that they continuously strive to present experiences that visitors will cherish and retrieve for years to come.

As nan squad prepares for nan awards night, Oakden conveyed his pridefulness successful representing nan Lake Taupō area, emphasizing that their occurrence is not conscionable a reflection of their efforts but besides a tribute to nan organization and nan situation that has supported them.

The Future of Tourism: Regenerative and Responsible Practices

Patrick Dault besides said astir nan broader effect of Tongariro River Rafting‘s approach, which reflects nan increasing inclination successful nan tourism manufacture toward regenerative and responsible tourism. This attack focuses not conscionable connected nan preservation of nan earthy situation but besides connected nan sustainable improvement of communities. It encourages businesses to spell beyond accepted sustainability efforts and actively lend to nan restoration of section ecosystems, arsenic good arsenic nan taste and societal well-being of nan area.

By embracing this regenerative model, Tongariro River Rafting is helping style nan early of tourism successful New Zealand. Their efforts service arsenic an illustration of really businesses tin thrive while being mindful of nan biology and organization effect of their operations.

The Awards Night: A Celebration of Tourism Excellence

The New Zealand Tourism Awards Dinner will return spot connected 29 October 2025 astatine nan Takina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre. The arena promises to beryllium a ceremony of excellence successful nan New Zealand tourism industry, pinch businesses for illustration Tongariro River Rafting starring nan measurement successful some visitor experience and sustainable practices.

As nan finalists await nan results, 1 point is clear: Tongariro River Rafting has already achieved awesome things successful their dedication to creating meaningful experiences for visitors while protecting and nurturing nan earthy environment.