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| Winners of the Caravan & Camping Industry NSW |
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| Tourism Industry Council NSW Chair, Ken Corbett |
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| Minister for Tourism – George Souris |
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| Winners of the 2011 NSW Tourism Awards |
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| MC Mike Whitney, Jon Hutchinson and Minister George Souris |
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| Mr Percival enthralling the crowd |
From adventure pursuits such as Tri State Safaris in the outback and Sydney Harbour YHA backpacker accommodation, to Indigenous Tourism leaders Coffs Coast Aboriginal Discovery and major tourist attraction The Magic of Jenolan, NSW's most innovative and outstanding tourism businesses were recognised last night in Sydney as the winners of the 2011 NSW Tourism Awards.
Recognising 30 categories of tourism operators from NSW's exciting tourism industry, the winners were judged from hundreds of entries covering restaurant and catering services, accommodation, tourism education and training, heritage and cultural tourism, festivals and events.
Now in its 22nd year, the NSW Tourism Awards managed by Tourism Industry Council NSW supports the development of the tourism industry which contributes $28.7 billion per year to the NSW economy.
The depth of offering and professional calibre of product has strongly grown since the awards began and Ken Corbett, Chairman, Tourism Industry Council NSW, said that the range of entries symbolises that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, especially in the many small businesses that make up the industry.
"Small businesses are a vital element to the NSW tourism landscape. The value that they bring to providing employment opportunities to their regions cannot be underestimated.
"This year the winners demonstrated an enormous amount of pride in what they do; this exceptional pride in their product is exemplified in the innovative thinking and dedication to client experiences that we see all around the state," said Mr Corbett.
Jon Hutchinson, outgoing CEO of Business Events Sydney was recognised for his Outstanding Contribution to Tourism and Lori Modde was recognised for her Outstanding Contribution to Regional Tourism.
The Young Achiever award was presented to Ollie Philpot, CEO of Central Coast Tourism.
The 2011 NSW Tourism Awards were announced at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in front of 700 people. The NSW Tourism Award winners will automatically become finalists in the National Tourism Awards, to be held in Cairns in March 2012.
The Full List of Winners:
Category Winner
Adventure Tourism Tri State Safaris
Backpacker Accommodation Sydney Harbour YHA
Deluxe Accommodation Macquarie Waters Boutique Apartment Hotel
Ecotourism Lane Cove River Tourist Park
Festivals and Events NSW Caravan, Camping, RV & Holiday Supershow
Heritage and Cultural Tourism Written in Stone
Hosted Accommodation Mollymook Beach Waterfront
Indigenous Tourism Coffs Coast Aboriginal Discovery
Luxury Accommodation Sheraton on the Park
Major Festivals and Events Bluesfest Byron Bay
Major Tour and/or Transport Operators Moonshadow Cruises
Major Tourist Attractions Taronga Zoo
Meetings and Business Tourism Shoal Bay Resort & Spa
New Tourism Development Tandara
Outstanding Contribution to Regional Tourism Lori Modde
Outstanding Contribution to Tourism by an Individual Jon Hutchison
QANTAS Award for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Lane Cove River Tourist Park
Specialised Tourism Services Newcastle Airport
Standard Accommodation Scone Motor Inn
Tour and/or Transport Operators Tri State Safaris
Tourism Education and Training Travel 21fiftythree
Tourism Marketing The Legendary Pacific Coast
Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services Margan Restaurant
Tourism Wineries, Distilleries and Boutique Breweries Wyndham Estate Winery
Tourist and Caravan Parks BIG4 North Star Holiday Resort & Caravan Park
Tourist Attractions The Magic of Jenolan
Tourist Pubs Shoal Bay Country Club Hotel
Unique Accommodation Somewhere Unique – An Escape for 2 in the Hunter
Visitor Information and Services Greater Port Macquarie Visitor Information Centre
Young Achiever in Tourism Award Ollie Philpot
