August 12, 2013
Whale kaitiaki up for tourism award
Whale Watch Kaikoura is up for the people’s choice award at this year’s World Responsible Tourism Awards.
The winner will be announced at the World Travel Market in London in November.
Chief operating officer Kauahi Ngapora says the Ngāi Tahu-owned business is thrilled to be a finalist alongside some of the world’s finest sustainable tourism operators.
He says it’s also an endorsement for the values that have guided it from its humble beginnings in 1987.
"I think it really comes back to our upbringing and being Māori, that age old saying of kaitiakitanga, so we are very focused on ensuring what we see here today is still there for future generations so everything we do is shaped around making sure we can deliver on that belief," Mr Ngapora says.
A three year scientific study has confirmed that Whale Watch Kaikoura’s operations have a minimal impact on the whales.
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