Noosa and Sunshine Coast based tourism operators Pelican Boat Hire and Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat will be competing with the nation’s best tourism products at the Qantas Australian Tourism Award.
Having already won gold on a state level at the Queensland Tourism Awards, these Sunshine Coast operators are doing the region proud as finalists in the hotly contested Tourism Retail and Hire Service and Hosted Accommodation award categories.
More than 700 tourism operators and guests will gather at the Sunshine Coast Convention Centre on 18 March to see if our region’s finest visitor experiences are crowned the best in the country.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) Chief Executive and Australian Tourism Awards Chair Daniel Gschwind said that the Sunshine Coast is a perfect example of the outstanding quality and professionalism of our Queensland operators.
“It is a great honour to have so many Queensland businesses represented on the national stage. Each of our state finalists should be incredibly proud of their achievements,” he said.
“Many of these tourism operators have faced uncertainty and tremendous difficulties over the past two years. Yet, despite the tough times, they’ve shown incredible resilience and a steadfast commitment to delivering world-class visitor experiences.
“The national Awards provide us with an opportunity to celebrate the amazing people behind the tourism businesses who provide so much to not only the economy, but to our regions and local communities.”
Not only is the Sunshine Coast well represented at the Australian Tourism Awards this year, but collectively, Queensland can boast having 21 finalists in the national Awards.
The strong Queensland contingent demonstrates that our state continues to shine as an outstanding holiday destination for visitors and locals alike.
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the Awards’ strong Queensland representation demonstrated commitment to recovery.
“In the last two years, resilient Queensland tourism operators have found opportunities to build back better”, Mr Hinchliffe said.
“They’ve strived for excellence in delivering outstanding, visitor-focused experiences and new, world-class tourism infrastructure.
“The tremendous determination of tourism operators is reflected in the Awards’ 21 Queensland finalists.”
Owner of Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat Xochi Lindholm said, “We are incredibly excited to be a finalist for the Australian Tourism Awards and even prouder that the event is being held in our beautiful region for the first time ever.”
“We are very excited to welcome other tourism operators from around Australia to experience the magic of the Sunshine Coast. It will be a spectacular event.”
