New Zealand - A Northland dive company has scooped the country's top tourism prize this week

- a win that could help diving become to Northland what whale-watching is to Kaikoura.

Dive Tutukaka won the New Zealand Tourism Industry Association's Supreme Award in Wellington.
The country's biggest dive charter operation, Dive Tutukaka, was developed by entrepreneur and conservationist Jeroen Jongejans and business partner Aussie Malcolm six years ago.

Jongejans said he was thrilled with the award, and was equally pleased that the exposure would help to boost Northland's reputation as New Zealand's dive capital.

“Success depends on maintaining a sustainable environment and providing a quality product,” he said. “Diving might look like a niche industry, but there's room for growth among other dive operators and all Northland tourism as long as those standards are applied.”

Dive Tutukaka had been a finalist in the tourism awards four times and had won other industry awards, he said, but not the big one. Sitting alongside the tourism sector's biggest and best had been reward enough.

“We always box above our weight.”

Prime Minister Helen Clark said the company deserved to win.

“It offers a range of adventure tourism experiences for visitors and has a strong focus on conservation. This is the type of tourist operator we'll need in the future,” she said.

Enterprise Northland chief executive Brian Roberts said it would be hard to put a dollar value on Dive Tutukaka's win, but it was something Northland should celebrate.

“The award gives the whole region bragging rights,” he said. “It will also have a huge morale-building effect on Dive Tutukaka staff as well as other companies striving to excel.”

The company also won the visitor attractions and activities and the Department of Conservation's conservation in action awards.

Jongejans has pushed for expanding the world-famous Poor Knights Marine Reserve into a larger park and has called for the islands to be recognised as a World Heritage Park.

Tourism Industry Association chief Fiona Luhrs said Dive Tutukaka epitomised a successful venture, focusing on customer service, sustainability and profitability.

“It is the vivid experiences of activities such as diving in a world-class subtropical dive spot that helps to draw in international visitors.”