- The NSW Tourism Awards has recognised the top-performing hotels, tour operators and experiences in the state.
- Bundyi Cultural Tours is now noted as one of the most insightful First Nations-led cultural tours in Wagga Wagga.
- Berry, Bargo and Orange now have some of the state’s best luxury accommodation.
The NSW Tourism Awards 2024 have come and gone, celebrating the state’s top-performing tour operators, hotels, attractions with gold, silver and bronze medals across a comprehensive set of categories.
From the full list of NSW Tourism Awards winners, it seems like regional operators are starting to really lift their game for both locals and visitors. Both Oriana Retro Hotel & Resort in Orange and Mt Hay Retreat in Berry, for example, walked away with Gold medals for premium accommodation while closer to home Sydney’s Captain Cook Cruises and Sydney by Kayak also picked up gilded gongs.
The awards are always a great way to see which companies and operators are leading Australian tourism and giving international and domestic visitors the best experience possible. Captain Cook Cruises, for example, was awarded a Gold Medal in the Major Tour & Transport Operators category, nodding to a gold standard of harbour cruising that’s been helping tourists fall in love with our iconic waters for more than 50 years.
Using Captain Cook Cruises as an example, you can also piece apart the metrics for these awards. Sustainability and inclusivity have been integrated seamlessly into the company’s itineraries and each harbour journey also works in First Nations history and culture, deepening the story of Sydney and offering a richer sense of place to tourists.
And that’s the metric that matters the most. A sense of place. We want visitors to leave with a more well-rounded perspective of Australia and its history, and it helps their holidays resonate deeper. That’s why the list of winners is always worth looking through to get a sense of the many varied and memorable experiences that exist both in and outside of Sydney. If nothing else, it also gives international visitors a good idea of what to experience, where to eat, and where to stay as they discover NSW’s many charms.
For locals, it’s also a swift reminder that there is so much to see and do in this state, both inside and outside of the famed Harbour City. Take the 4.5-hour drive to Wagga Wagga for example, and you can hop on one of the itineraries offered by Bundyi Cultural Tours, which picked up Gold in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences category, or stick closer to home with Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh, which picked up Gold for Major Tourist Attractions.
Sydney Travel Guide has included the full list below so you can get a sense of the state’s top performers next time you’re planning an itinerary that isn’t just limited to our famed state capital.
All information about the NSW Tourism Awards can be found at nswtourismassociation.com.au.
NSW Tourism Awards 2024 winners
4-4.5 Star Deluxe Accommodation
GOLD: Oriana Retro Hotel & Resort, Orange
5 Star Luxury Accommodation
GOLD: Mt Hay Retreat, Berry
SILVER: Kalinya Estate, Bargo
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences
GOLD: Bundyi Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga
Adventure Tourism
HALL OF FAME & GOLD: Balloon Aloft, Hunter Valley, Camden Valley, Mudgee and Byron Bay
SILVER: Let’s Go Surfing, Sydney, Byron Bay
BRONZE: Oz Jet Boating, Sydney
Caravan & Holiday Parks
GOLD: Holiday Haven Lake Conjola
SILVER: Tathra Beach Eco Camp
BRONZE: Tasman Holiday Parks Racecourse Beach, Bawley Point
Cultural Tourism
GOLD: Port Macquarie Museum
SILVER: Local Sauce Tours, Sydney
BRONZE: Dubbo Regional Council – Old Dubbo Gaol
Ecotourism
GOLD: Kestrel Nest EcoHut, Mount Adrah
SILVER: Sydney By Kayak, Lavender Bay
BRONZE: Navigate Expeditions, Far South Coast
Excellence in Accessible Tourism
GOLD: Balloon Aloft Australia, Hunter Valley, Camden Valley, Mudgee and Byron Bay
SILVER: Blue Mountains Climbing School
BRONZE: Sails Holiday Park, Belmont
Excellence in Food Tourism
GOLD: Love Lord Howe
SILVER: Food I Am, Wagga Wagga
BRONZE: Tocumwal Chocolate School
Festivals & Events
GOLD: Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash
SILVER: Tumbafest Inc, Tumbarumba
BRONZE: Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail
Hosted Accommodation
GOLD: Black Sheep Inn, Borenore
SILVER: Amaroo Valley Springs, Kangaroo Valley
Local Government Award for Tourism
GOLD: Bathurst Regional Council
SILVER: City of Newcastle
Major Festivals & Events
GOLD: Bluesfest Byron Bay
SILVER: Strawberry Fields Festival, Tocumwal
Major Tour & Transport Operators
GOLD: Captain Cook Cruises – Sydney
SILVER: Moonshadow – TQC Cruises, Nelson Bay
Major Tourist Attractions
GOLD: Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh
SILVER: 4WD Tours R Us, Anna Bay
BRONZE: The Big Banana Fun Park, Coffs Harbour
New Tourism Business
GOLD: Beneath The Bay, Batemans Bay
SILVER: Showtime Kayaking, Lake Macquarie
BRONZE: The Brooklet, Brooklet
Self Contained Accommodation
GOLD: Cedars Mount View, Hunter Valley
Service to Tourism Industry
GOLD: TRC Tourism
SILVER: Sparrowly Group
BRONZE: Hipscotch
Take 3 For The Sea Award For Visitor Litter Prevention
GOLD: Sydney By Kayak, Lavender Bay
SILVER: Cruise Eden, Eden
Tour & Transport Operators
GOLD: Blue Mountains Day Tours by Chapman Tours
SILVER: 4WD Tours R Us, Anna Bay
BRONZE: Activity Tours Australia, Sydney
Tourism Marketing & Campaigns
GOLD: Tweed Tourism Company
SILVER: Barrington Coast: Whatever It Takes
BRONZE: City of Newcastle
Tourism Restaurants & Catering Services
HALL OF FAME & GOLD: Potager, Carool
SILVER: Pipit Restaurant, Pottsville
BRONZE: Frankie’s Restaurant and Bar, Lithgow
Tourism Retail, Hire & Services
GOLD: Ask Roz Blue Mountains
SILVER: Hirehood, Northern Rivers
BRONZE: Outback Jess – Spotto Books
Tourism Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries
GOLD: Cupitt’s Estate, Ulladulla
SILVER: Husk Distillers, North Tumbulgum
BRONZE: Cape Byron Distillery, McLeods Shoot
Tourist Attractions
GOLD: Northern Rivers Rail Trail
SILVER: Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
BRONZE: Barooga Sporties Group, Barooga
Unique Accommodation
GOLD: Sierra Escape, Mudgee
SILVER: Wilga Station, Bathurst
BRONZE: Myall River Camp, Hawks Nest
Visitor Information Services
GOLD: Bathurst Visitor Information Centre
SILVER: MidCoast Council: Barrington Coast
BRONZE: Albury Visitor Information Centre
Outstanding Contribution by an Individual
Lyndel Gray, CEO of Caravan and Camping Industry Association NSW (CCIA).
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