Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) has been recognised at the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Awards for its short films.

‘Way South’, a short film directed by Ben Jae for LWT, narrowly missed out on the ‘Award for Bravery and Innovation’ win but received a highly commended accolade.

Way South aims to “edge a little bit closer towards a future that is truly inclusive”.

“With a cast all representative of the LGBTQI+ community and the wonderful tapestry that is Aotearoa, Way South is a small but important step towards making the minority a majority way of thinking for the travel industry,” LWT marketing and communications manager Gizelle Regan said. 

LWT also received highly commended in the ‘Best Brand Partnership’ category for their work with Monster Children Group on their Short Film Awards. 

Gizelle said the work with Monster Children gives aspiring filmmakers “the opportunity to tell stories of substance”.

“This year the theme is regeneration; supporting all the work we are undertaking in this space to bring awareness to, and the immediate need for climate, and cultural conservation”.  

Mumbrella Travel Marketing Awards is Australasia’s only dedicated travel marketing awards.

The competition attracts hundreds of entries from top PR, media and marketing agencies, with the top performers making it to a shortlist before judging by a panel of industry experts. 

Gizelle said the recognition in two categories is testament to the calibre and the importance of the work delivered over the past 12 months.

PHOTO: Supplied