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New Zealand tourism marketing agency Tomahawk has become the first New Zealand agency named a finalist in the global Skift IDEA Awards.
The agency is a finalist in the Industry Innovators: Tourism category for its work developing Tonga Tourism’s new destination brand, Kingdom of Tonga: The Friendly Islands.
More than 490 entries from around the world were submitted for the 2026 awards, which recognise innovation across the travel and tourism industry.
Tomahawk general manager Renee Goodsell says the recognition reflects the collaborative approach taken to developing the brand.
“From the outset, this was about creating a brand that genuinely belonged to Tonga. We didn’t want to create a brand for Tonga; we wanted to create one with Tonga.”
Tomahawk partnered with the Tonga Tourism Authority on the brand, which launched in October 2025 following extensive research and community engagement.
The process included a 2,000-person quantitative survey, 5,497 qualitative responses and 15 workshops across four Tongan islands involving more than 400 participants.
Tonga Tourism Authority general manager Teisa Fifita-Tupou says the finalist placing is a significant milestone for the rebranding project.
“We are extremely proud that the brand was shaped by our local people and validated by international visitors.”
The resulting brand is grounded in four Tongan values – respect, humility, maintaining relationships, and loyalty and passion – identified through the research process.
Winners of the 2026 Skift IDEA Awards will be announced on August 26.
