Tamaki Maori Village wins top award

For the third year in a row, Tamaki Maori Village has scooped the 2012 Golden Backpack award for the Best Indigenous Cultural Experience throughout Australasia.

The annual Golden Backpack Awards ceremony took place in Sydney Australia last night, wrapping up two full days of events, including ITE & ABiC, for the adventure and backpacker operators across Australia and New Zealand.

The Golden Backpack Awards are the only dedicated awards for the independent travel sector rewarding those companies who work hardest to make backpacking around Australia and New Zealand that extra bit special. More than 30 companies are recognized for their outstanding customer service. Each award is presented to the very best of Australia and New Zealand's backpacking industry, as voted by the people - those independent travelers visiting both countries.

"We are thrilled!" says Doug Tamaki, Director Tamaki Tours Ltd. "This award recognizes the past 21 years of hard work, dedication and commitment we have put in to the backpacker industry, allows us to pay tribute to the loyal suppliers we have in this segment - and is a testament to the continually high quality cultural encounters we provide for the most important people we know - our customers."

Voting in the Golden Backpacks was conducted exclusively online this year, with nearly 20,000 votes received in total. "While some companies will be celebrating again this year, each year we see a number of new winners coming through, which is great for the industry because it shows there's healthy competition out there." Said the organizer.

TNT Magazine and Thumbrella Publishing Director said: "Once again we have been overwhelmed by the response of backpackers and the industry to the Golden Backpack Awards. Winning one is the ultimate accolade because it's the customers who decide."