Four Hunter tourism operators walked away with gold awards and Nelson Bay’s Moonshadow – TQC Cruises was inducted into the prestigious NSW Tourism Awards Hall of Fame in a glittering night for the region at the annual NSW Tourism Awards, held at Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel in November.
The 30th anniversary edition of the prestigious NSW Tourism Awards, held on Thursday 15 November, saw 75 awards presented before an audience of nearly 500 industry representatives.
The awards recognise businesses that exemplify quality tourism and provide leadership in innovation, marketing and in the delivery of quality products and services.
Moonshadow – TQC Cruises took out top honours in the Major Tour and/or Transport Operators category for the third year in a row, automatically qualifying for entry into the Hall of Fame.
Other Hunter winners were Port Stephens 4WD tours (Tour and/or Transport Operators), Margan Wines and Restaurant (Excellence in Food Tourism) and Macquarie 4 Star, Lake Macquarie (Standard Accommodation).
Sand Dune Adventures won silver in the Adventure Tourism category, with Beyond Ballooning winning bronze, while Oakvale Wildlife Park received a silver award for Excellence in Accessible Tourism and bronze in the Tourism Attractions category.
Other silver awards went to Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley (Business Event Venues), Brokenwood Wines Cellar Door (Tourism Wineries, Distilleries and Breweries) and the Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association, which was honoured in the Destination Marketing category for its Here’s to the Good Life campaign.
They Awards are managed by the Tourism Industry Division of the NSW Business Chamber, the state’s peak business organisation, and supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Guest speaker Stuart Ayres, the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, highlighted the importance of tourism and events to the state’s economy and congratulated the winners.
“Tourism is vital to our State’s economy, so to be recognised at the NSW Tourism Awards is a truly outstanding achievement,” he said.
“I thank all of the winners for their unwavering commitment to offering our domestic and international visitors Australia’s most remarkable experiences.”
“Beyond our spectacular natural scenery and iconic capital city, the highlight for many visitors to NSW is the individuals who front these award-winning experiences, who exude contagious passion and excitement and ensure every trip to our state is simply unforgettable,” he concluded.
Gold Medal winners from most categories will go on to represent NSW at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, to be held in Canberra in March 2020.
NSW Business Chamber Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Cartwright, said each winner and finalist should be incredibly proud of this achievement.
“Award entrants continue to showcase a diverse array of talent, passion and innovative drive that allows our state’s tourism industry to thrive,” he said.
“Good luck to all winners continuing on to the QANTAS Australian Tourism Awards in March.”
A full list of winners can be found on the NSW Tourism Awards website.
IMAGE | Moonshadow – TQC Cruises accepting their Hall of Fame induction at NSW Tourism Awards 2019
