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Kiwi Experience Number One for Independent Travel

Monday 12 November 2012, 9:11PM

By Mango Communications

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Kiwi Experience bus and a touring group.
Kiwi Experience bus and a touring group. Credit: Mango Communications

Legendary New Zealand hop-on hop-off bus adventure tour, Kiwi Experience, was awarded Best Tour Operator and Best Transport Operator at the Golden Backpack Awards in Sydney on Thursday night.

While it is the first time the big green buses have won the Best Transport Operator Award, 2012 marks the fifth time Kiwi Experience has won the award for Best Tour Operator.

The awards, which are Australasia’s only dedicated awards program for the independent travel sector, recognise companies which make travelling around Australia and New Zealand extra memorable.

Run by TNT magazine, the international campaign for the Golden Backpack Awards saw almost 80,000 votes cast by travel lovers from around the world.

Tourism Holdings Limited (thl) GM Marketing and Customer Experience, Kate Meldrum, says the Kiwi Experience team are thrilled to have won the two awards - a first for the tour operator.

“While we are always excited to come home with one Golden Backpack, to win two is just the icing on the cake of what has been another awesome year.

“Kiwi Experience would not be what it is today without our incredible team of driver guides, operations masterminds and trade partners and these awards are a credit to their efforts. It is the involvement of all of these parties that has enabled us to show travellers the best of what New Zealand has to offer and make sure they have a great time along the way.”

In addition to Kiwi Experience, one of the newest additions to thl’s brand portfolio, Mighty Campervans, was also nominated for the Best Car/Campervan Rental Company in New Zealand – a promising start for the brand which only launched to market in May.

Kiwi Experience has been successfully operating hop-on, hop-off tours aboard their legendary buses for over 22 years and with consistent demand from travellers the world over, there are no signs of slowing down as peak season approaches.

For more information about Kiwi Experience and the range of tours available, visit www.kiwiexperience.com