The Air New Zealand Tourism Industry Awards are our industry’s most anticipated event.

The Awards have two underlying objectives: to stimulate a process of continual business improvement and to recognise excellence within our industry. These objectives apply across all businesses, large or small.

The Air New Zealand Tourism Industry Awards operate biennially, with the last awards gala event having taken place in December 2020. Our Awards team worked tirelessly to produce an outstanding event that did us proud. Due to the Covid-19 crisis and our extended border closure, the past gala was held as a domestic event with our Prime Minister Mark Brown providing the keynote address.

The next Air New Zealand Cook Islands Tourism Industry Awards kicked off with the Sponsor’s signing event on Wednesday 09 April 2025. The application period took place in April 2025, and all 180+ members of CI Tourism Industry Council were eligible to apply. Our prestigious judges Peter Morrison and Graham McCutcheon visited Rarotonga and Aitutaki in June 2025 to conduct in person interviews will all applicants. And then our Awards Gala evening took place on Saturday 27 Sept 2025, where all of our winners were announced LIVE on stage.

A big Meitaki Ma’ata to our wonderful corporate Awards sponsors who make the Air New Zealand Tourism Industry Awards possible!