Active Adventures has been named as a finalist in two categories for the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce 2023 Queenstown Business Awards: Excellence in People & Capability and Excellence in Strategy & Business Solutions. 

QUEENSTOWN, NZ., – October 20, 2023

“It’s such an honour to be recognized in this way. Despite Covid’s impact on tourism these last few years, our team has risen to the challenge and adapted to every curve ball to put us into an even stronger position in the international market, and I’m super proud of them,” says Wendy van Lieshout, CEO at Active Adventures.  

“I truly believe our people give us our edge, so it will be a great night to celebrate together as a team, and in fine company with the other finalists. We all deserve a fun night out.” 

This honour follows success at the same awards in 2021 (winners of Excellence in Strategy & Planning) and 2018 (winners of the then-tourism category). 

Achievements within the last two years include: 

• over a third of guests have travelled with Active Adventures more than once. “Having earned their trust with genuine care for their experience on our expertly guided small group adventures, we have incredibly loyal adventurers who choose to travel with us again for their next destination, wherever in the world that may be,” says Wendy. “We have one guest who has travelled with us 20 times! We might have to create more trips for them!”; 
• acquiring Austin Adventures – a like-minded family-values-based adventure travel business specialising in North America national parks. “A possibility in the wings pre-covid, it made even more sense during the pandemic. It’s both a long-term strategy and a vital short-term fix that provided valuable revenue from US domestic adventure travel while global borders were closed”;  
• eNPS* (Employee Net Promotor Score) of +42 average over the last 3 years and a recent eNPS of +91 from the North America crew.  "Our team work hard to live and breathe our organisational values to create exceptional guest experiences, so to give something back we've developed a signature set of flexible working, travel perks and lifestyle benefits which our people are encouraged to make the most of."

The winners of the awards will be announced at a gala event on November 4, 2023, at iconic Walter Peak High Country Farm.  

*Footnote: Bamboo HR, a world-leading HR specialist, states: ‘scores above 30 are excellent, with 0-30 being the safe zone, and that anything below zero should be cause for concern’. 

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About Active Adventures & Austin Adventures:  

With over 60 years of combined experience, Active Adventures and Austin Adventures set the standard for inspiring, all-inclusive, small-group adventures in the most breathtaking regions of the world. Their teams across New Zealand, North America, Peru, Nepal, and the Netherlands ensure every detail is looked after. Hand-picked guides with a wealth of experience and local knowledge lead the way as guests enjoy exclusive accommodations, top-notch dining, and unique activities showcasing the best of each region.  

Each of their 100+ trips is crafted to perfection, encouraging guests to not only challenge themselves physically but also to take a deep dive into the local way of life in every destination. For more information, please visit activeadventures.com and austinadventures.com.

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Media Contact:

Carol Soundy

Brand and Communications Lead, Active Adventures & Austin Adventures

carol.soundy@activeadventures.com

 +64 27 254 6039