THE Hastings came up trumps at the 2013 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards held at Luna Park in Sydney.
Port Macquarie’s The Corner restaurant won gold in the Tourism Restaurant and Catering Services category and Port Macquarie Hastings Council won silver in the Local Government Award for Tourism category.
The Qantas Australian Tourism Awards are the industry’s peak awards, recognised as a mark of excellence by the industry and consumers. Now in their 29th year, the awards promote excellence in tourism and celebrate the diverse and outstanding achievements of tourism operators throughout Australia, across 28 categories.
Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association president Janette Hyde said this was a fantastic result.
“This is the best the Hastings has ever done and it is wonderful, not just for those who won, but the whole region,” she said.
In all, NSW tourism businesses led the country, securing eight gold, eight silver and five bronze awards at the gala night in Sydney.
“NSW’s success is no fluke,” Tourism Industry Council NSW executive officer Andrew Jefferies said.
“These results are a measure of the ongoing depth and excellence of the state’s tourism product and highlights our state’s leading position within the industry”.
Other gold winners from NSW included Taronga Zoo (Major Tourist Attraction), Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Tourist Attraction), Jenolan Caves: Written in Stone (Heritage and Cultural Tourism), Tri State Safaris/Mutawintji Eco Tours (Indigenous Tourism), Life’s An Adventure (Adventure Tourism), Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (Tourism Education and Training) and Sydney Harbour YHA (Backpacker Accommodation).
