Lynne McVicar, general manager of Hotel St Moritz, won the accolade at the awards function last Thursday. It was only the second year the awards were presented to people in the hotel sector who went "above and beyond the call of duty", New Zealand Hotel Council chairwoman and spokeswoman for the conference Jennie Langley said in a statement.
After almost a decade as an accountant, Ms McVicar entered hotel executive management in 1994 as a financial controller. In 1998, she opened the Hotel St Moritz in Queenstown as general manager and has remained in the role since, Ms Langley said.
"With a career firmly focused on Queenstown, her passion for the industry and operational excellence has not been limited to the Southern Lakes region. Ms McVicar is known for her generous commitment of time on boards and in advisory roles within the tourism sector.
"With an impressive and sustained track record within her hotel and the wider community, Lynne is an extremely worthy recipient of the award."
