Excellence Categories
Excellence Categories are open to businesses within Taupo's town centre.
Taupo Times Best National / Franchise Retail Business Award
Finalists
| Footloose Taupō | Hikoi | Hunting and Fishing Taupō |
| Liqourland Taupō | Unichem Mainstreet Pharmacy | Wild South |
Nominees
| Briscoes | Bin Inn | Champions of the World | Countdown | Dzine Furniture |
| Footloose Taupō | Freedom Furniture | Hardy's Health | Hikoi | Hunting and Fishing Taupō |
| Kathmandu | Liqourland Taupō | Office Products Depot | Paper Plus | Pumpkin Patch |
| Smiths Sport Shoes | Unichem Lake Taupo Pharmacy | Unichem Mainstreet Pharmacy | Wild South | |
Mediaworks Best Independent Retail Business Award
Finalists
| Chefs Complements | Hi Fashion | Scenic Cellars |
| Clever Hands | NZ Corner | The Linen Room |
Nominees
| Albert Pointons Menswear | Cassis | Fresh | Hi Fashion | John Taylor Jeweller |
| Asian Kai | Chefs Complements | Gordons Outdoor Equipment Taupo | In Play Golf and Leisurewear | Lake Furnishings |
| B'Jammin | Clever Hands | Greenstone Fishing | Jade Centre | Lavish |
| M21 | Mai Mai | Mainly Silver | Merchant of Taupō | Mancave |
| My Music | NZ Corner | Pear Tree Fashions | Replete Kitchenware | Robyn’s Chocolates |
| Scenic Cellars | Scent | Scrapbook Cottage | Shirley’s Shoes | Sportshop |
| Sweet As | The Linen Room | The Woolshed | Top Gear Cycles | Taupō Florist |
| Toy Chest | Urban Edge | Village Squire | Copyright | |
Events Capital Best Hospitality Business Award
Finalists
| Bakers Delight | Eruption Cafe | Piccolo |
| Plateau | Suncourt Sushi | Taste Cafe |
Nominees
| Bond Lounge Bar | Cafe Anatolia | Eruption Cafe | Fusion Cafe | Mulligans |
| Brumbys | Coffeeplus | Finn MacCuhals | Indian Affair | Piccolo |
| Bakers Delight | Dixie Browns | Heritage of India | Master of India | Plateau |
| Sierra | Streetwise Coffee | Suncourt Sushi | Taste Cafe | Thai Delight |
| Woktastic | The Shed | @Siam | Salute | Replete |
Me Creative Best Service/Trade Business Award
Finalists
| A&T Glass | Grabb | Huka Honda |
| STIHL SHOP™ TAUPO | VETPlus | Yoga Tree Taupo |
Nominees
| A&T Glass | 1st Choice Engravers and Badges. | Bodyworx Gym | Bunnings | Beaurepaires Taupō |
| Printing.com | Eurofloor | Experience Taupo | Grabb | House of Travel |
| Huka Honda | Laser Plumbing | Lisa's Barber Shop | McPhail Motors | Morrell Motors |
| Polished | Rentadent Taupo | Sail Lake Taupo Fearless | STIHL SHOP™ TAUPO | Starlight Cinema |
| Taupō Florist | Taupō Kids Community | Taupō Vision Care - Ross Gordons | Terry's Tyre's | The Massage Clinic |
| VETPlus | Visique | Yoga at the Living Room | Yoga Tree Taupo | Taupo Times |