The tourism industry and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) have joined together to improve the energy efficiency of New Zealand tourism businesses.

The Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme was developed as a regional pilot in 2008 offering a strong incentive for tourism businesses to identify ways to save energy, to improve profitability and help to conserve the natural environment at the same time. TEEP has now been extended into a national programme for 2009.

Participating businesses receive a detailed energy audit, identifying potential dollar and energy savings, at approximately half the normal price. The businesses also receive free mentoring and assistance in implementing energy saving opportunities. Results from this programme will help tourism businesses all over New Zealand to become more energy efficient.

The New Zealand tourism industry is committed to taking a lead role in protecting and enhancing the environment as outlined in the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015. The environment is New Zealand's key tourism product, one of the main reasons that international visitors come here and also important in domestic travel.

Energy Audits

TEEP 2009 will include the provision of 14 more energy audits. Businesses targeted will include two holiday parks, two visitor attractions, two hotels, one land transport and one sea transport operator, as well as six small to medium enterprise (SME) businesses. Businesses who have already signed up to participate in TEEP 2009 include:

The Ascot Park Hotel, Invercargill, Bowentown Holiday Park, Waihi, Skotel Alpine Resort, Mt Ruapehu, Kaikoura Encounters, Kaikoura, Fullers Group Ltd, Auckland, The George Hotel, Christchurch, Kea Campers, Auckland, Waihi Holiday Park, Waihi, Limetree Lodge, Wanaka and the Shotover Top Ten from Queenstown.

TEEP will also include an industry specific stocktake exercise for the small tourist flight operators sector.The results from the stocktakes will then be shared with about 45 operators in the Tourist Flight Operators (TFO) group throughout the tourist flight sector in New Zealand. The aim will be to provide useful information to help operators improve their overall environmental performance fuel and energy efficiency. Businesses who have already signed up to participate include:

Air Safaris, Rotorua, Sounds Air, Picton, Real Journeys, Queenstown, Glenorcy Air, Queenstown, Mt Cook Ski Planes, Methven, The Helicopter Line.

The tourism businesses involved in TEEP in 2008 from the accommodation and transport sectors included:

Bay of Islands: Eagles Nest, Base Bay of Islands
Auckland: SeaLink Travel Group NZ, Novotel Ibis Ellerslie, Braemar on Parliament , Great Ponsonby Arthotel, Tourism Holdings Ltd
Nelson: Grand Mercure Nelson Monaco Hotel
Blenheim: 171 On High Motel
Christchurch: Amber Park Holiday Park, Christchurch Top 10 Holiday Park

Project Co-ordinators

For further information contact: Simon Wallace, Manager, Policy, by phone on 04 494 1842 or by email simon.wallace@tianz.org.nz. Ket Bradshaw, located in Wellington, and Simon Wilkinson, located in Auckland are also working in partnership with TIA on behalf of their consultancy Stewardship Solutions Ltd.