Airlie Beach has been recognised for its commitment to visitor excellence following the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) annual awards where it won the Top Small Tourism Town in Queensland 2022.
These awards are an opportunity for regional tourism organisations, local tourism organisations, and councils in conjunction with accredited visitor information centres to showcase their local towns as great visitor destinations and raise awareness of what’s special and unique about their part of Queensland.
Airlie Beach has now gained automatic entry to the national Top Tourism Town Awards which will be held later in the year.
If successful, it could be crowned one of the best holiday towns in Australia.
Tourism Whitsundays Chief Executive Officer, Rick Hamilton said the incredible win only highlights what we already know, that Airlie Beach is an iconic destination with world-class offerings for all to enjoy.
“The Whitsundays is the most tourism reliant region in Queensland with one in three jobs directly related to tourism, to have both Airlie Beach and Bowen as finalists in the Queensland Top Tourism Town Awards shows that the region punches well above its weight,” he said.
“Being recognised at a state level is a massive achievement for the region and our tourism operators. We look forward to representing Queensland and the Heart of the Great Barrier Reef later this year at the national Top Tourism Town Awards.”
Acting Mayor, Mike Brunker said this was fantastic news for Airlie Beach and the entire Whitsunday region.
“Thank you to Tourism Whitsundays, the tourism operators and the community for their support which has resulted in Airlie Beach being named the Top Small Tourism Town in Queensland in 2022,” he said.
“We look forward to continuing to promote Airlie Beach as a top destination with magnificent visitor experiences.”