YHA Wellington City is the first hostel in New Zealand to be awarded Qualmark Enviro Gold Status.
The hostel had to meet a comprehensive set of criteria, including at least 25 initiatives across energy, water and waste.
This year has been a successful one for YHA Wellington City, which retained its five-star Qualmark rating and won the Sustainable Business Network’s Trailblazer Not for Profit award.
Manager Chris Sperring says they were “dead chuffed” to receive the accolade and it will be pressing the buttons of the hostel’s international customers.
“Qualmark carries quite strong influence [on the] international market,” he says.
“It’s brilliant because it’s another quality endorsement regulated by two individual [organisations] looking in different areas.”
Mr Sperring says the next step is to take YHA Wellington City’s success to the wider YHANZ network, implementing their strategies in other branches: “It’s important to do that before we progress.”
YHA’s Te Anau hostel has been awarded silver status and YHA Arthur’s Pass impressed assessors by acting as the community’s recycling centre.
Qualmark, the official mark of quality for New Zealand tourism, initiated Responsible Tourism standards as part of their assessment programme early this year.
The Enviro status is given to tourism businesses and organisations actively participating in sustainable practices and activities.
PICTURE: Manager Chris Sperring with one of YHA Wellington City’s Love NZ recycling bins.
