New Zealand Qualmark

Qualmark New Zealand Limited is the official tourism quality agency for New Zealand.  A partnership between government and private sectors, Qualmark is an independent body that investigates, rates and regulates accommodation, activities and transport within the tourism industry.  Qualmark accreditation is only awarded to superior and professional businesses, which helps travellers to determine which places will provide them with a quality experience.

Qualmark was established in 1993 and is a not-for-profit service that is backed by many leading tourism associations in the country.  The New Zealand government has even defined a role for Qualmark in their strategy for enhancing New Zealand’s reputation as a tourist destination.

Qualmark assessors use a comprehensive and integrated service for assessing accommodation.  Grading is not complete until a Qualmark assessor has stayed at the establishment.  They are then graded using the star rating system, 1 star meaning ordinary, 5 stars meaning excellent.  Qualmark also awards establishments that use environmentally sound practices.

Qualmark has eight categories:

•    Backpackers,
•    Hotels,
•    Holiday parks,
•    Student accommodation,
•    Self contained and serviced,
•    Guest and hosted,
•    Holiday home, and
•    Exclusive.

If you see a Qualmark badge, you can be assured that the business is reputable and provides good value for money.