It was a ‘double whammy' for Oxfam New Zealand at the 2009 Event Industry Awards, with Oxfam Trailwalker 2009 scooping two awards.

Presented annually by the New Zealand Association of Event Professionals (NZAEP), the Event Industry Awards are designed to recognise excellence in event management disciplines, with events presented in four categories - Best Environmentally Sustainable Event, Best Emerging Event, Best Established Event and Best Partnership of an Event.

The awards are judged by a panel of industry specialists from throughout New Zealand who have been selected across various event disciplines.

Winning both the Best Environmentally Sustainable Event and Best Partnership Award, judges hailed Oxfam Trailwalker as an event that ‘walks the talk' when it comes to environmental sustainability and clearly demonstrates the keys to successful partnerships. Referred to as the ‘ultimate team-building experience', Oxfam Trailwalker requires teams of four to complete 100km in 36 hours to raise funds for some of the world's poorest people. This year the event involved over 3000 people and raised more than $1 million.

Taking out the Best Emerging Event award was The DUAL, run by total sport Ltd. With profits from this mountain bike/off-road run event going towards the replanting of native trees in large sections of Motutapu, the judging panel felt The DUAL set a ‘benchmark' for other events and indicated a bright future for New Zealand's event industry.

In the Best Established Event category, American Express Queenstown Winter Festival stood out amongst the ‘best of the best' to take out the award. Dubbed ‘the Southern Hemisphere's biggest winter party', this year the Queenstown Winter Festival celebrated its 35th birthday alongside 60,000 festival-goers who gathered in Queenstown to celebrate the start of winter.

For more information on the national Event Industry Awards visit http://www.nzaep.co.nz/awards.asp

To check out the Oxfam Trailwalker event visit http://www.oxfam.org.nz/oxfam_trailwalker/

Which will be the first Nelson Tasman event to win one of these coveted awards? Something to aim for! (Events Marketing & Development Assistant, Nelson Tasman Tourism)