Gold, Bronze And A Finalist! Three Gongs For Three Top Tourist Towns

This is the third year in a row that Airlie Beach has been awarded Gold in the Top Small Tourism Town category, with a population between 1,500 and 5,000.

The town will now enter the Hall of Fame and will go into contention for the Best Small Tourist Town in Australia at the national awards held later this year.

Over 16,000 people voted in the awards and Queensland’s top holiday destinations were announced from a shortlist of 16 finalists.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor, Ry Collins said he was excited that Airlie Beach had now entered the Hall of Fame after their hat-trick of wins.
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“Tourism is one of the three key pillars for our regional economy, and winning gold for three consecutive years is just a reward for the resilience and passion of our tourist operators and the leadership shown of Tourism Whitsundays (TW),” he said.
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“This is a great outcome not only for our resort town of Airlie Beach but also for Bowen winning bronze and also for Collinsville who made the finals for the Top Tiny Tourism Town, highlighting the diverse range of visitors’ experiences our Whitsunday region offers.
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“Council is proud to be the major funding supporter for TW and looks forward to partnering with them to continue promoting our Whitsunday region as one of Australia’s top tourism destinations.”
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Tourism Whitsundays CEO said the award was a huge moment for Airlie Beach.
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“This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire community. We are so proud to be recognised as a top tourism destination, not just for our stunning scenery and vibrant town centre, but also for the action-packed activities that make Airlie Beach so unforgettable” he said.
 
“This award reinforces our commitment to providing our visitors with an exceptional experience and the added success of Bowen and Collinsville helps showcase The Whitsundays region as a must-visit destination with something on offer for everyone.”

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy was thrilled that Bowen came home with a bronze award and that Collinsville made the finals.

“Bowen really is the hidden gem at the top of the Whitsundays,” she said.

“To be recognised as the third best Top Tourism Town in Queensland was awesome, and we thank everyone who voted for Bowen as well as everyone who was involved in putting the submission together.

“We were also very excited that Collinsville made the finals this year.

“The team at Bowen Tourism and Business nominated Collinsville in the Tiny Towns category for the first time so we were very pleased to make it to the finals stage.”

Chair of Bowen Tourism and Business, Jenn Honnery said to have three Whitsundays towns in the finals was a magnificent achievement.

“It was great to see the Whitsundays represented across all three categories, showcasing the diversity of experiences on offer in our region,” she said.

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Leanne Abernethy Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Nathan Fleming from Ocean Rafting, Rick Hamilton CEO of Tourism Whitsundays, Ry Collins Mayor of Whitsunday Regional Council and Elizabeth Hackett at the awards last week. Photo supplied.

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