Our Qualmark Gold Status: What It Means

First Light Travel have achieved the highly prized Gold Standard Award for Sustainable Tourism from Qualmark: A Gold Award recognises the best sustainable tourism business in New Zealand, with the delivery of exceptional customer experiences an integral part of everything they do. A Gold Sustainable Tourism Award identifies those businesses leading the way in making the New Zealand tourism industry a world-class sustainable visitor destination.

When you're booking a New Zealand family holiday, honeymoon or self-drive tour, how do you know that you're in good hands with your travel agent?

Does your agent have the best local knowledge & expertise? Do they choose accommodation & activity providers who will look after you as if you're a member of the family?

Luckily, there's an easy way to tell that you are dealing with a reputable agent who goes the extra mile.

Scroll down to the bottom of our website and you'll see our proudly-displayed Qualmark Gold logo. The Qualmark seal of approval is highly sought after and hard to come by, so it's an honour for us to have received the Gold award!

Here's what the Qualmark logo means for you and your holiday:

What is Qualmark?

Qualmark is New Zealand Tourism's official Quality Assurance scheme. It assesses NZ tourism companies on the strength of their economic practices, sustainability, health & safety, and how they look after their clients.

If you see a business displaying a Qualmark logo, it means Qualmark's assessors have thoroughly examined the way they run their business and treat their customers.

After assessment, Qualmark officials may give them a Bronze, Silver or Gold award based on their performance.

The Qualmark Gold Award
First Light Travel have been awarded the highest status - Qualmark Gold.

Qualmark Gold status means that we are...

Recognised by Qualmark as one of the best sustainable tourism businesses in New Zealand
Leading the way in making the New Zealand tourism industry a world-class sustainable visitor destination
Committed to excellence in everything we do

Which is great for our trophy shelf, but more importantly, what does it mean for you?

Qualmark Gold status means you can be sure that we offer...

An environmentally friendly and holistically sustainable experience
Safe principles and practices at the heart of every experience
A genuine welcome and true "Kiwi" hospitality
The know-how and resources to make your New Zealand holiday extra special

Planning and organising your holiday online? Look for the Qualmark logo when researching suppliers.
When you're planning your New Zealand holiday, online reviews can be super helpful if you're trying to choose between accommodation providers, for example. But for added peace of mind, do look for a Qualmark logo on each provider's website - it means Tourism New Zealand have checked out that they do everything to a high standard.

For extra peace of mind, Qualmark's official website allows you to verify the status of tourism operators straight from the source (including us).

The easier way to plan your holiday?
Or you could leave the planning to our Qualmark Gold rated Travel Specialists, who will give you the best advice, suggestions and booking experience for your New Zealand dream vacation.

Get in touch with your personal New Zealand Travel Specialist today.