Whitsundays Shining On The Queensland Tourism Stage

Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour Marine Terminal are among nine local finalists at the upcoming Queensland Tourism Awards. Photos supplied

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There is plenty to celebrate in the Whitsundays, with nine of our region’s tourism businesses, organisations and facilities named finalists in the 2026 Queensland Tourism Awards.

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From Bowen to Airlie Beach, our islands and gateways to the Great Barrier Reef, the finalists are a great snapshot of the people, places and experiences that make the Whitsundays one of Australia’s leading visitor destinations.

This year’s Whitsunday finalists include Bowen Tourism and Business Volunteers, Bowen Visitor Information Centre, Iconic Whitsunday Adventures, InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef, Pinnacles Airlie Beach, Tourism Whitsundays and Whitsunday Escape, along with two of Council’s own facilities, Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour Marine Terminal.

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Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins said having such a strong field of local finalists was something the whole region could celebrate.

“To have nine Whitsunday finalists recognised on the Queensland stage is a fantastic achievement and I congratulate every one of them,” Mayor Collins said.

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“Tourism is part of the lifeblood of the Whitsundays and behind every great visitor experience are passionate people who work hard every day to make our region shine.”

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Council is especially proud to see Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour Marine Terminal among the finalists, with both playing an important role as gateways connecting visitors with the Whitsundays.

Mayor Collins said the recognition belonged to the Council teams behind both operations.

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“I’m extremely proud of our teams at Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour Marine Terminal. They put an enormous amount of work into delivering great facilities and a positive experience for the thousands of people who travel through these gateways.”

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“Being named finalists is great recognition for their hard work, but this is also about celebrating the success of our entire tourism industry.”

Tourism in the Whitsundays is a team effort.

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Every visitor who arrives here experiences much more than our beaches, islands and reef. They meet the volunteers welcoming people to Bowen, tourism operators taking visitors onto the water, accommodation and hospitality teams, airport and terminal staff and the many local businesses that help make a Whitsunday holiday memorable.

The recognition also comes during another strong year for the region, with Whitsunday Coast Airport continuing to record strong passenger growth and playing an increasingly important role in connecting the region with the rest of Australia.

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Mayor Collins said the finalists reflected the quality and passion found right across the Whitsundays.

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“These finalists are great ambassadors for our region and should be proud of what they have achieved.

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“On behalf of the Council and our community, congratulations to all nine finalists and good luck on awards night. The Whitsundays will be cheering you on.”

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