THREE VICTORIAN TOURISM OPERATORS ENTER THE STATE’S COVETED HALL OF FAME

Three of Victoria’s leading tourism operators have been inducted into the prestigious Victorian Tourism Awards esteemed Hall of Fame.

Geelong Gallery, Bendigo Visitor Centre, and Searoad Ferries claimed Hall of Fame status after winning gold in the same category for three consecutive years.

The Victorian Tourism Awards, hosted annually by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC), honours business excellence and performance within the industry. On Thursday night, VTIC, in collaboration with Presenting Partner, City of Melbourne; Platinum Partner, Visit Victoria; and Gold Partner, Melbourne Airport, recognised the outstanding contribution made by tourism operators across the state.

VTIC Chief Executive Felicia Mariani said the awards showcase some of the most innovative experiences in Victorian tourism.

“Last night, 900 tourism and events operators came together at the 2023 Victorian Tourism Awards to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts of their teams and the industry as a whole,” Ms Mariani said.

“VTIC is proud to deliver this important event in Victoria that recognises the innovation, passion, and professionalism that our operators exhibit every day in creating magical moments for their visitors.

“We want to congratulate our Gold, Silver and Bronze category winners, along with all of this year’s finalists, who are the exemplars of excellence in our industry across the state.”

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos MP, attended this year’s gala and celebrated the achievements of industry over the past year as we continue our recovery and growth.

‘’It was a pleasure to join Victoria’s tourism industry to celebrate the many outstanding tourism businesses that play a key role in positioning our state as a world-leading tourism destination and attracting visitors from interstate and overseas to all corners of Victoria."

‘’Congratulations to all finalists and winners for achieving excellence in tourism and business, your contribution to Victoria’s tourism industry is so important."

There were 104 finalists this year across 29 business categories, including the introduction of Excellence in Accessible Tourism as a national category. Its winner, Accessible Accommodation, will be the first to compete for this award at the Australian Tourism Awards, held in Darwin on the 15th of March 2024.

Major award winners on the night included:

Hall of Fame inductees

• Bendigo Visitor Centre - Visitor Information Services
• Geelong Gallery – Cultural Tourism
• Searoad Ferries– Major Tour & Transport Operators

Gold winners

• Zoos Victoria won two awards for Melbourne Zoo - Major Tourist Attractions, and Healesville Sanctuary - Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences
• City of Melbourne, Only in the City - Tourism Marketing & Campaigns
• Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre - Business Event Venues
• Tesselaar KaBloom - Major Festivals and Events

To view all our category winners, please visit the Victoria Tourism Industry Council website.

* Olivia Joyce at o.joyce@cprcomm.com.au