Media Release: Holiday Parks Association, 25.06.2015
Kiwis skilled in world-class customer service have proved a winning combination for Raglan Kopua Holiday Park. The hugely popular vacation spot which attracts hundreds of holidaymakers from around the country and overseas, was awarded the ServiceIQ Holiday Park Visitor Experience Award at last night’s awards event, organised by Holiday Parks Association of New Zealand (HPANZ).
The secret to the park’s winning success is its people, says HPANZ Chief Executive Fergus Brown. He added: “The managers show an incredible dedication to providing an outstanding visitor experience. Not just by them but also through their staff.”
Last year, HPANZ introduced its members to ServiceIQ’s new tourism training qualification. The New Zealand Certificate in Tourism (Visitor Experience) Level 3 is designed to provide the right skills to help the country’s tourism businesses succeed in a competitive market.
Raglan Kopua Holiday Park was one of the first to enrol its staff on the programme.
Though the park has a terrific seaside location at one of New Zealand’s iconic holiday destinations, the managers of the council-owned business know that what turns a good holiday into a great experience usually comes down to how well visitors are treated.
“They could see the business and staff benefits of the programme,” says Fergus. “It meant they were able to improve skills and performance to help their customers have an even better holiday. While at the same time, they could reward their staff and empower them to build a career in the wider tourism industry.”
ServiceIQ CEO Dean Minchington says that the top rating destination is proof that skilled people focused on great service add significant value for visitors, the business and its people.
He says: “Providing this training opportunity changes the whole dynamic of a sector by adding high-level skills and qualifications for employees.”
Information on the training programme and qualification can be found at www.ServiceIQ.org.nz