Caves wins Qualmark tourism gold award

Waitomo Glowworm Caves has received a Qualmark Gold Award — one of the first issued to a tourism operator under the new guidelines issued by Tourism New Zealand.

The updated Qualmark Gold Award recognises tourism businesses of the highest performing sustainable standards across four key categories: Economic, Environmental, People and Healthy and Safety.

Waitomo Glowworm Caves employs full-time environmental officer Carl Fischer to ensure the cave environment is protected and monitored at all times. This includes comprehensive and real time-monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2), water level and cave temperature and airflow.

“Everything we do at Waitomo Glowworm Caves centers around kaitiakitanga— responsible guardianship and upmost respect for our unique environment,” he says. “We have a great opportunity to educate others about responsible tourism and the unique precious facets of this natural attraction.”

Waitomo Glowworm Caves was also a finalist in the Tourism Awards 2016 for Environmental Initiatives.