The celebrated champions of our region, Red Cat Adventures, were among three local operators to be recognised at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards on the weekend.
Red Cats won gold in Adventure Tourism and silver for Major Tour and Transport Operators while Pinnacles Resort won silver for Self-Contained Accommodation and InterContinental Hayman Island Resort took home bronze in 5 Star Accommodation.
Julie and Asher Telford, owners of Red Cat Adventures, said they had been dreaming of winning the prestigious Adventure Tourism category for many years as this field of tourism symbolises the very foundation of their business.
“Although we’ve been privileged to win awards in the past at local, state, and national levels, this is our first gold in the Adventure Tourism category nationally,” said Julie.
“Without international youth markets to draw on, Adventure Tourism has been one of the hardest hit sectors, and what we personally - and our industry as a whole - have been through during the pandemic, cements this as the toughest battle of them all and consequently the most cherished win.”
For the Telford’s the awards represent not only their company’s success but also their resilience and ability to pivot and overcome adversity.
With 86 per cent of their business relying on international tourists prior to the pandemic, it was just a few weeks after the company had celebrated their gold and silver wins at the 2019 Australian Awards when news of the onset of COVID caused the value of their company to be halved overnight.
“We were faced with the devastation of losing the majority of our staff and what ensued has been an insane, emotional rollercoaster ride – at times elating, at others soul-destroying, but always raw and real,” said Asher.
“Instead of closing our doors and taking a rest, we slaved – we worked 10 times harder, and made a new business plan every time the rules changed.
“We sought opportunities from challenges, took calculated risks, and actually grew our company during Covid, evolving into a better, more efficient, more sustainable business as a result.”
The Telford’s want to say a huge congratulations to all the other award winners.
“Even to be in that room after such a turbulent two years is a massive achievement that everyone deserves recognition for,” said Julie.
At The Pinnacle Of Success
Bringing home silver in the Self-Contained Accommodation category, Pinnacles Resort were another local business who were elated by their success at the Australian National Tourism Awards last weekend.
Resort Manager, Sue Watson, said that the gala dinner, held at the Sunshine Coast Convention Centre last Friday was a great opportunity for operators to get together and celebrate successes after a challenging few years.
“The event was all you would expect - the best of the tourism industry and
a wonderful celebration,” she said.
“It has been a difficult couple of years, not only for the Whitsundays but for everyone in the industry so it felt good to be back to some sort of normal.
“We are so excited, and it was just amazing to be bringing home silver for
the Whitsundays!”
The InterContinental Hayman Island Resort won a bronze award in the Five Star Accommodation category and General Manager, Arpad Romandy, proudly congratulated the winners.
“It’s an exciting time for The Whitsundays tourism sector to continue to shine and showcase our unique experiences and products,” he said.
“The recognition of being showcased on a national stage and achieving a bronze award is an honour.”
Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Whitsundays said that while we may be a small region, our world-class offerings, iconic destinations and passionate operators shined on the night.
“Tourism operators in The Whitsundays consistently deliver high-level experiences, they are dedicated to showcasing the best of our region and I am delighted that we had three national finalists up for four awards,” he said.
Brent Jones and Susan Watson, Pinnacles Resort Managers.
