The 6-year-old tertiary college brought home the award and Chinese student Gina Gao received the International Student of the Year title at the New Zealand Association of Private Education Providers conference in Auckland last Wednesday.
It is the largest association of private tertiary education providers in the country, with more than 300 members and more than 60,000 equivalent full-time students.
Mr Phillips said the college being recognised by its peers as Provider of the Year was "a great honour" and he praised Ms Gao's achievement.
The award reinforced that the college provided quality in every department, from teaching to halls of residence, from recruitment to accounts, and across the entire operation, he said.
"The reality is you can have wonderful facilities, but it is the quality of staff and students that creates results and culture.
"Our mission is to deliver industry with the employee of first choice. People are really starting to take notice, not only of Queenstown Resort College, but Queenstown as a learning destination."
Originally from Harbin in northern China, Ms Gao is enrolled in the college's diploma of hospitality management programme.
During her internship, she worked at Hilton Queenstown and received excellent reviews in the college's three key assessment areas: professional attitude, personal qualities and skills and achievements.
Although the college's student population was 80% domestic, it was wonderful for an international student to be recognised in this way, Mr Phillips said.
