Queenstown Business Awards

The Queenstown Business Awards are now open for businesses to enter and be recognised for contributing to the local business landscape. The awards are a biennial event bringing the business community together, celebrating and recognising achievement, innovation, and the amazing businesses in the region. This is an opportunity for local business owners to show why their business is special and cheer those on doing well.

Anyone in business or NGOs / charities should consider entering the awards. Many local companies have made real achievements, and the awards are one of the few opportunities available to put a company forward to be evaluated by its peers and where they can measure and reflect on the achievements made and show just how great they are.

Hayley from Housemart, last year’s small business winner, said, “There is real value in the process. It’s like having a warrant of fitness done on your business.”

The final announcement of winners will be made at a special gala event at Walter Peak High Country Farm on November 4th.

Businesses do not have to be members of the Chamber to be nominated or to win an award.

The awards are open to all local businesses.

Past Winners - 2021

Award Sponsor Winner

Supreme Winner – Business of the Year

Realnz First Table

Small business of the yearTODD & WALKER LawHousemart

Excellence in marketing Shotover MediaFergburger

Excellence in sustainability Smart EnvironmentalZip Trek Eco Tours

Excellence in strategy and planning ANZ Active Adventures

Excellence in service delivery Destination QueenstowniFly Indoor Sky Diving

People’s choice awardMountain SceneFirst Table

Covid resilience & diversification

Remarkables Park xtravel

Employer of the year MyHR Millbrook

Excellence in innovation Southern Institute of Technology First Table

How to enter

Entering the Queenstown Business Awards can be done entirely online at businessawards.queenstownchamber.org.nz/entry-process. The process is simple, with only three-four questions per category. If you would like to recommend some talented and innovative people and organisations that may need a little encouragement to be recognised, then there is a ‘Nominate a Business’ option.

The categories

There are nine categories that a business can enter or be nominated in, with 11 awards altogether.

1. Excellence in Sustainable and Regenerative Business Practice

2. Excellence in People and Capability

3. Excellence in Innovation

4. Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion (new)

5. Excellence in Marketing

6. Excellence in Strategy and Business Solutions

7. Best Emerging Business

8. Excellence in Customer Experience

9. Excellence in Community contribution (new)

The remaining two awards are the People’s Choice and Supreme Business of the Year.

There are two new awards in 2023.

Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion sponsored by QLDC.

This Award will recognise an organisation that has put people at the heart of their business by successfully developing and implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives that foster wellbeing, connectedness and belonging, benefiting employees and the wider community.

Excellence in Community contribution sponsored by Queenstown Airport.

The Awards recognise organisations that have implemented initiatives that have positively impacted the community as a whole or sections of our community and strive to generate outcomes that have long-term benefits for Queenstown.

Sara Irvine, General Manager of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs, explained why the airport saw the Excellence in Community Contribution sponsorship award as a strategic fit for the airport. “At Queenstown Airport, we proudly sponsor the community contribution award. We aspire to be an airport that people love to travel through, and that the community takes pride in, so this award fits well for us. I think the judges will be looking for a business that’s shown leadership and made a significant community contribution and thinking beyond an economic contribution but something that really adds value and gives back to the community.”

Entry Deadline: Monday 4pm, 25 September.