Judging the region’s best tourism and events experiences will be put into the hands of the community and visitors for the first time when public voting opens today for the 2021 North Queensland Tourism and Events Awards.
Each ‘People’s Choice’ voter has a chance to win a $500 voucher to spend on a range of accommodation, attractions, and tour experiences on offer in the region bookable through townsvillenorthqueensland.com.au.
The Awards were unable to take place last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, but Townsville Enterprise is thrilled to see the return of an event established to recognise the people, places, organisations, and events that have gone above and beyond to offer superior tourism experiences across North Queensland.
Townsville Enterprise Director – Visitor Economy & Marketing, Lisa Woolfe said this year’s awards were not only an opportunity to recognise outstanding local businesses and people but importantly acknowledge the industry’s fortitude though it’s darkest days.
“There is no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the most challenging times for our tourism, events and hospitality industry,” Ms Woolfe said.
“However, despite the lockdowns, restrictions, and border closures, our tourism industry’s strength and resilience continues to shine. The industry's spirit to keep delivering a world-class experience and supporting thousands of local jobs deserves to be celebrated together with the businesses and people who make it all possible.
“Although right now it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel for our operators, we know we can come out on the other side of these setbacks and work towards rebuilding an even stronger local tourism industry.
“We’re thrilled to place the awards in the hands of our community, who know our region better than anyone else after exploring their own backyard for the past 18 months and helping keep our tourism industry afloat.
“The change to a People’s Choice process this year is also about building local awareness of the breadth of our industry and continuing to encourage and inspire the community to support local.
“This year, 37 nominations have been received across six categories, all at a very high standard, which makes it a competitive field for our community when deciding who takes top honours.”
Southern Cross Austereo General Manager, Shane Jurgens has been proud to partner with Townsville Enterprise on the North Queensland Tourism and Events Awards for a number of years.
“We know how tough these past 18 months have been for the tourism industry and we’re proud to support local businesses in any way we can,” Mr Jurgens said.
“Each award winner will receive a $2000 radio advertising package to spend across our regional Triple M and HitFM stations.
“Getting the message out that our tourism operators are open for business is more important than ever as we work towards rebuilding this important sector of our economy.”
People’s Choice Award categories include:
- Best Major Event
- Best Destination Event
- Accommodation
- Dining
- Tours and Attractions
- Transport
Additional categories (not for public vote) include:
- Young Achiever Award
- Richard Power Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual
Public voting will close Monday 6 September with the prize drawn the following day. Cast your vote at Visit Townsville North Queensland Facebook page. The Awards night will be held on Friday 24 September at the Ville Resort-Casino, with tickets still available.
