It's Our Riverina

Congratulations NSW Regional Tourism Operators!

It was wonderful to see so many regional NSW tourism operators represented among the finalists and winners at the 2011 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, held in Cairns on Friday 2 March.

Of the 27 awards presented on the night, 11 were awarded to operators in NSW. While there were no winners from the Riverina, regional areas of NSW were well represented among the finalists, with some taking out the top prize in their categories.

Some of the regional NSW winners of the 2011 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards were:

· The Magic of Jenolan, Blue Mountains (Tourist Attraction)

· Jenolan Caves – Written in Stone, Blue Mountains (Heritage and Cultural Tourism)

· Coffs Coast Aboriginal Discovery, North Coast (Indigenous Tourism)

· Tri State Safaris, Outback NSW (Tour and/or Transport Operators)

· BIG4 North Star Holiday Resort & Caravan Park, North Coast (Tourist and Caravan Parks)

· Newcastle Airport, Hunter (Specialised Tourism Services)

A bit closer to home, Boggy Creek Shows, which is located in Tumbarumba, was a finalist in the Heritage and Culture category. Well done to Tim, Petrina and everyone at Boggy Creek Shows on this great achievement.

Riverina operators are encouraged to participate in their local awards program in 2012. The 2012 Inland Tourism Awards will be held in Mudgee, NSW on 28 July and will soon be open for nominations.