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Wilsons Abel Tasman National Park
This family-owned tourism business has come along way since its beginnings some 30 years ago in Abel Tasman National Park. The Motueka-based company started with a single 19-seat launch in 1977 built by Darryl's father. Today, it operates the Vista Cruise, Vigour Water Taxis, guided walks, sea kayaking and two lodges—and employs up to 60 people over summer. The Wilson family also manages sea kayak companies owned by local iwi represented by Wakatu Incorporation. Entering and winning the Overall Business of the Year Award, at the 2006 Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology Awards, has been hugely beneficial for Wilson’s Abel Tasman National Park, according to Darryl. “We saw this as an opportunity to raise our profile in the community and show the locals how hard we work at giving our visitors the best experience,” he says. “Winning this award helped us to define how we are performing in a competitive market where benchmarking is difficult due to business confidentiality.” Darryl admits entering competitions requires commitment. But he believes the process is well worth the effort. “We were aware that our business was doing some great things, but could be even better,” he said. “The effort and commitment required from key staff members to write an entry good enough to win over the judges provides the type of input required to improve our business model.” Despite three decades in business, there’s always room for improvement and Darryl believes entering awards is still valuable for large and established operations. “One of the reasons we have been able to operate a successful family business for so long is our commitment to constant improvement, reinvestment and development of our services and staff,” he adds. “Everyone likes being acknowledged. Our frontline staff get regular input from our customers. Behind the scenes, the award entry process gives our management team more scrutiny and useful feedback so everyone wins.”
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