Councils have been recognised with awards for excellence in tourism across NSW and Victoria.

The City of Greater Bendigo has taken home three awards at the Victorian Tourism Awards including the Local Government Award for Tourism for the second year in a row.

The awards, hosted annually by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council, were announced on Thursday night in collaboration with the City of Melbourne.

The silver award in the Local Government Award category went to Greater Shepparton City Council.

The City of Greater Bendigo also won a gold award in the Visitor Information Services Award category for its Bendigo Visitor Centre, in recognition of what the judges said was its quality customer service and face-to-face interaction with visitors.

Council’s Living Arts Space and the Uniquely Bendigo brand also won gold in the Tourism Retail and Hire category.

City Manager Tourism and Major Events Terry Karamaloudis said the awards are a “wonderful recognition”.

“This is wonderful recognition of how our staff and volunteers have been able to overcome the enormous challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to create unique experiences and welcoming opportunities for visitors,” he said in a statement.

Gong for Geelong

The City of Greater Geelong also took home gold in the category of Cultural Tourism for its Geelong Gallery and the City of Ballarat won a gold award in the Festivals & Events category for its Ballarat Heritage Festival.

VTIC Chief Executive Felicia Mariani said the awards showcased resillience and commitment in the face of two tough years.

“This year’s celebration feels especially meaningful,” she said in a statement.

“We not only look to reward operators for their business excellence, but we want to recognise and celebrate the innovation, resilience, and commitment they have exhibited to weather the storm of the past two years.”

Midcoast recognised in NSW awards

Meanwhile, in NSW, MidCoast Council has also taken home a gold award in the Local Government Award for Tourism.

The awards, presented by Business NSW in partnership with the NSW Government and Destination NSW, took place as a virtual event on Thursday.

MidCoast Council also took home a silver award in the Tourism Marketing and Campaigns category.

Mayor Claire Pontin said the awards celebrate the work of the tourism team.

“The NSW Tourism Awards are a celebration of the outstanding resilience, innovation and creativity demonstrated by our tourism team over what has been a challenging few years for the industry,” she said in a statement.

Taking out silver in the Local Government Award category was Port Macquarie-Hastings Council and bronze went to Central Coast Council.

Mid-Western Regional Council also won a gold award in the Tourism Marketing and Campaigns category for its Mudgee Region Tourism campaign.

A beacon for the tourism industry

Minister for Tourism and Sport Stuart Ayres said the awards highlighted a commitment to delivering premium products and experiences to all visitors to NSW.

“I am immensely proud of all finalists of the 2021 NSW Tourism Awards, who have shown remarkable professionalism and dedication over an incredibly difficult period to deliver the best possible outcomes for the NSW tourism industry,” he said in a statement.

NSW Tourism Industry Council Executive Manager Greg Binskin said the NSW Tourism Awards was a celebration and a beacon for the NSW tourism industry.

“It’s been an extremely challenging period for the NSW visitor economy and, after a break in 2020, the return of the NSW Tourism Awards demonstrates the renewed energy of the visitor economy and celebrates the people, places, and vibrant culture of our feel-good state,” Mr Binskin said.

Main image: Terry Karamaloudis, , Accommodation and Business Services Coordinator Karly Elvey, Visitor Services Manager Jemma Docherty and Volunteer Coordinator and Program Development Coordinator Kate Eltringham. Image supplied by City of Greater Bendigo.

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