Heli Tours Queenstown gains Qualmark rating
Thu, 19th Oct 2017
Media Release from Heli Tours Queenstown
October 18 2017
Heli Tours Queenstown gaining its mark on sustainable tourism practice
Queenstown commercial scenic flight provider Heli Tours Queenstown is
celebrating after being recognized as one of the highest-quality, safe and
sustainable tourism businesses in the country.
Heli Tours Queenstown is the only private and locally-owned helicopter
company flying from the resort town, owned and operated by proud South
Islanders Paul and Katherine Mitchell.
This month the company has been thrilled to receive a Qualmark Silver award
on its first application for a Qualmark accreditation, following a process Paul
Mitchell said had been “extremely beneficial” in putting the business under the
magnifying glass.
Businesses are assessed on four key sectors -- healthy and safety,
sustainable and environmentally friendly practice, social hospitality and the
economic operations of the company.
Following the intense evaluation, businesses can be awarded bronze, silver or
gold.
Heli Tours Queenstown has been operating in Queenstown for seven years,
and Mr Mitchell said they were delighted with the Silver award.
“Qualmark Silver enables us to benchmark our business against other tourism
operators throughout the country and continually strive to be the best,” he
said.
“When visitors see that Qualmark branding they know that operation is safe,
delivers a fantastic customer experience and customer service, and is
reliable. They know they’re in good hands.”
“The whole accreditation process makes you look at your business from the
outside in, and now we have the assessors report we know we can fine tune it
with some very small improvements that can make all the difference.”
Mr Mitchell said he believed a Qualmark accreditation helped secure a long-
term sustainable position for the tourism industry by protecting what made
New Zealand unique and desired.
The couple say they love to showcase and inspire visitors with their extensive
knowledge of, and passion for, their beautiful ‘backyard’.
Currently operating three helicopters, Heli Tours Queenstown has the widest
range of landing concessions available to any Queenstown-based helicopter
businesses, after being granted an historic 18-year permit multi-conservancy
concession for heli landings just two years after setting up in business.
It was the first of its kind permitted by the Department of Conservation and
enables the company to make the most of a range of options for helicopter
landings throughout Otago, Southland and Canterbury for recreation or
tourism activities.
It’s scenic flights and activities on offer include alpine snow and glacier
landings, Milford and Dusky Sound trips, wine tours, high and low-adrenaline
adventures, relaxing scenic spa and picnic activities, and personalised custom
tours.
“More and more of our guests, no matter what country they’re from or their
background, want the ‘new luxury’ of an authentic, genuine experience, really
engaging with locals and learning about the area,” said Katherine Mitchell.
“That can be anything from seeing the family farm, escaping the crowds, to
meeting a winemaker or going for a hike.
“They don’t have to be big trips, but we know we’ve done our job when they
leave feeling like they’ve made a friend.”
Heli Tours Queenstown operates from its base at Queenstown International
Airport.
ENDS
Picture captions:
1/ Heli Tours Queenstown co-owner Paul Mitchell and Base Manager
Jaime Flemming with the company’s Qualmark Silver award
For further information or high-res images please contact:
Jaime Flemming
Heli Tours Queenstown
T: (64) 3 4510515
E:
Fiona Woodham
Director – Southern PR
T: +64 (0) 274 313 270
E:
