Published Friday, 24 October, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
TNQ leads chase for top tourism honours
Tropical North Queensland is leading the chase for this year’s Queensland Tourism Awards with 34 entries, Tourism Minister Desley Boyle announced today.
The 2008 Queensland Tourism Awards, presented by Queensland Airports Limited, will be held in Brisbane on November 14, with the Tropical North Queensland entrants among more than 200 tourism enterprises seeking Queensland’s highest tourism accolade.
“The Queensland Tourism Awards recognise and reward excellence, innovation and success in our industry while reinforcing the value of tourism to Queensland’s regions,” Ms Boyle said.
“From major tourist attractions and small B&Bs to luxury retreats, quirky festivals and indigenous tours, the awards celebrate Queensland’s incredible range of tourism experiences and encourage new product and even higher standards.
“They also acknowledge the outstanding contribution of those working in the engine room of the industry in areas including visitor information services, business tourism, education and training, specialised tourism services and tourism marketing.
“Tropical North Queensland operators will compete in 22 of the 28 categories with a variety of operators, attractions, events, accommodation providers and tourism services.
“Competition at this year’s awards will be stiff with operators from tourism zones as diverse as Thursday Island and Mt Isa really stepping up!”
Ms Boyle said visitor expenditure in Queensland last year surpassed $19 billion.
“More than 200,000 Queenslanders are employed in the tourism industry and over the past few years this has grown at twice the rate of the national average so we cannot underestimate the value of this industry to our state,” she said.
“Encouraging and promoting success and innovation is crucial if Queensland is to maintain its status as a global tourism leader.”
Ms Boyle congratulated Tropical North Queensland entrants for taking the time to nominate and wished them luck.
At the 2007 event Tropical North picked up six awards – more than any other region. Winners were Daintree Discovery Centre (Steve Irwin Ecotourism Award), the Quicksilver Group (Major Tour or Transport Operators Award), Passions of Paradise (Adventure Tourism Award), Cairns Coconut Caravan Resort (Tourist and Caravan Parks Award), Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Townsville Enterprise for the Great Tropical Drive (New Tourism Development Award) and Gab Titui Cultural Centre (Indigenous Tourism Award).
She also thanked the awards’ platinum sponsor - Queensland Airports Limited - and awards organisers Tourism Queensland and the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.
“I encourage Queensland’s tourism industry, whether you have entered or not, to support your friends and colleagues and come along to what is the tourism ‘Oscars’,” she said.
Tickets are available from www.queenslandtourismawards.com.au.
Further information:
Minister’s Office – ph 3225 1005 or 3224 2007
Tourism Queensland – ph 3535 5010
The 2008 Queensland Tourism Awards, presented by Queensland Airports Limited, will be held in Brisbane on November 14, with the Tropical North Queensland entrants among more than 200 tourism enterprises seeking Queensland’s highest tourism accolade.
“The Queensland Tourism Awards recognise and reward excellence, innovation and success in our industry while reinforcing the value of tourism to Queensland’s regions,” Ms Boyle said.
“From major tourist attractions and small B&Bs to luxury retreats, quirky festivals and indigenous tours, the awards celebrate Queensland’s incredible range of tourism experiences and encourage new product and even higher standards.
“They also acknowledge the outstanding contribution of those working in the engine room of the industry in areas including visitor information services, business tourism, education and training, specialised tourism services and tourism marketing.
“Tropical North Queensland operators will compete in 22 of the 28 categories with a variety of operators, attractions, events, accommodation providers and tourism services.
“Competition at this year’s awards will be stiff with operators from tourism zones as diverse as Thursday Island and Mt Isa really stepping up!”
Ms Boyle said visitor expenditure in Queensland last year surpassed $19 billion.
“More than 200,000 Queenslanders are employed in the tourism industry and over the past few years this has grown at twice the rate of the national average so we cannot underestimate the value of this industry to our state,” she said.
“Encouraging and promoting success and innovation is crucial if Queensland is to maintain its status as a global tourism leader.”
Ms Boyle congratulated Tropical North Queensland entrants for taking the time to nominate and wished them luck.
At the 2007 event Tropical North picked up six awards – more than any other region. Winners were Daintree Discovery Centre (Steve Irwin Ecotourism Award), the Quicksilver Group (Major Tour or Transport Operators Award), Passions of Paradise (Adventure Tourism Award), Cairns Coconut Caravan Resort (Tourist and Caravan Parks Award), Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Townsville Enterprise for the Great Tropical Drive (New Tourism Development Award) and Gab Titui Cultural Centre (Indigenous Tourism Award).
She also thanked the awards’ platinum sponsor - Queensland Airports Limited - and awards organisers Tourism Queensland and the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.
“I encourage Queensland’s tourism industry, whether you have entered or not, to support your friends and colleagues and come along to what is the tourism ‘Oscars’,” she said.
Tickets are available from www.queenslandtourismawards.com.au.
Further information:
Minister’s Office – ph 3225 1005 or 3224 2007
Tourism Queensland – ph 3535 5010