The announcement was made during the Local Government NSW Destination and Visitor Economy Conference, which was held in Manly, Sydney from 29-31 May 2023 and proudly supported by Destination NSW.
NSW Tourism Industry Council Executive Director Paula Martin said: “With their picturesque landscapes, rich historical significance, abundance of activities, and warm welcoming community spirit, Huskisson, Berry and Newcastle have become shining beacons in regional NSW's tourism landscape.
“These towns represent the epitome of what visitors seek - an immersive and revitalising experience that will leave a lasting impression, showcasing the very best that NSW has to offer. These vibrant towns set our state apart from other visitor destinations.”
Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said: "Regional NSW contributes approximately a third of the total economic benefit generated by the state’s visitor economy, and these towns have set a benchmark that will ensure we achieve our goal of becoming the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific."
For the first time, a Hall of Fame award was presented to Mudgee in recognition of its outstanding achievement in being crowned winner in the Top Tourism Town category at the NSW Top Tourism Awards in 2021 and 2022 and receiving the Australian Top Town Tourism Award in 2021 and 2022.
Managed by the NSW Tourism Industry Council, the NSW Top Tourism Town awards celebrate towns across three population categories: under 1500, between 1500 and 5000, and over 5000 residents.
Each participating town submitted a short video, itinerary and editorial, which were evaluated by a judging committee comprised of 10 industry experts. The public was then invited to cast their votes, with a record-breaking response of more than 18,000 individuals voicing their opinions to determine the ultimate Top Tourism Towns.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said winning the Top Tourism Town award was recognition of the city's collaboration with industry, government and operators to boost the local visitor economy.
She noted that partnering with Venues NSW to secure Newcastle as the first stop on Sir Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour and a slot on Pink's upcoming world tour had cemented the city’s status as a premier tourism and major events destination.
“Attracting headline acts of this calibre is a testament to Newcastle's growth as a world-class events and cultural city and indicative of a thriving local economy," Ms Nelmes said.
Ms Nelmes said a key action in Newcastle’s Destination Management Plan had been to work with the business sector to increase the number of bookable visitor experiences on offer.
“By continuing to leverage our city's unique offering in a way that appeals to visitors from outside the region and abroad, Newcastle’s future as an international tourism and major events destination is bright," she said.
City of Newcastle Destination Marketing Officer Laura McGrath was presented with the award by NSW Tourism Industry Council Executive Director Paula Martin and Business NSW Chief Executive Officer Daniel Hunter.
Shoalhaven City Council is celebrating winning four trophies at the NSW Top Tourism Town awards.
“We were incredibly excited to have five Shoalhaven towns listed among the 31 finalists in the NSW Top Town Awards and to bring home the gold for both Berry and Huskisson, silver for Ulladulla, and bronze for Kangaroo Valley and is incredible,” said Mayor Amanda Findley.
“We love all our towns equally and as the off-season in Shoalhaven approaches, would love to see locals and visitors support their own favourite towns and enjoy the beautiful nature, walks, whales, foods, wine and more.”
Huskisson, Berry and Newcastle will represent NSW at the Australian Top Tourism Town Awards, scheduled to be held later this year.
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