New Zealand tourism's official quality agency found licence holders thought the previous branding made it difficult to distinguish between the sectors. The old logos were not immediately recognisable by travellers and did not clearly identify Qualmark as the official stamp of quality assurance.
The sector or endorsement text stands out clearly on the new logo. For accommodation, the star rating appears next, which indicates the quality of the business.
General manager Paula McCallum, of Auckland, said all sectors were then supported by Qualmark's silver fern. The background colour of silver was chosen to be in keeping with the agency and its licence holders' "New Zealandness".
The Enviro Award has also been revamped with a metallic green background. The grading, either gold, silver or bronze, is now highlighted underneath.
Ms McCallum said Qualmark hoped the changeover would be complete by this time next year and called on the industry to embrace the new look. Qualmark offered discounts to operators who wished to make the switch now and who could download the logos from its website.
The 116 licence holders in Queenstown include 41 activities, 28 self-contained accommodation providers, 18 hotels, 14 guest and hosted accommodation providers, eight transport operators, four backpacker hostels, two holiday parks and one "exclusive" luxury hotel.
A pair of Qualmark assessors cover accommodation and endorsements in the lower South Island.
