Three Central Coast organisations have had major wins at the 2021 NSW Tourism Awards.
The Australian Reptile Park took out the silver award for Major Tourist Attraction, IBIS Styles at The Entrance was awarded the bronze for 4-4.5 Star Accommodation and Central Coast Council’s Marketing and Tourism Team took out bronze in the Local Government Award for Tourism category.
The awards, managed by the NSW Tourism Industry Council, supported by Business NSW, and in partnership with the NSW Government and Destination NSW, were announced virtually on February 3 as the industry celebrated tourism’s path to recovery following COVID-19 setbacks.
Business NSW Regional Director, Paula Martin, said the awards reflected the outstanding resilience and innovative spirit of the industry.
“There is no doubt that the last two years have been extremely challenging for the NSW Visitor Economy with many businesses across the Central Coast on their knees during lockdowns,” Martin said.
“It was a proud moment to see three excellent businesses from the Central Coast recognised for their contribution towards our visitor economy making the most out of lockdowns and restricted travel to build new visitor experiences.
“Tourism is an important part of our regional economy contributing over $1.2B and employing nearly 10,000 locals, so a big congratulations goes to our Central Coast businesses and all the winners of the 2021 Tourism Awards for demonstrating excellence during such difficult times.”
IBIS Styles General Manager, Aaron Ficyk, said the team was “super proud” of the achievement.
“We put in the application around six months ago and went through the interview process with the awards committee,” he said.
“The awards ceremony was due be held at Luna Park on February 3 but was conducted virtually because of COVID.
“So our team gathered for a meal at Magenta Shores and watched the ceremony from there.
“We were really proud – it’s a fantastic achievement for the hotel and the staff, but also for the Central Coast.
“We have a great product and a great team and we’ve received a great recognition.”
Spokesperson for Destination Central Coast and Council Director, Natalia Cowley, said being recognised in the state’s prestigious industry awards was a fantastic achievement for Council’s dedicated Marketing and Tourism team.
“I am immensely proud of our Marketing and Tourism team who, in a relatively short period of time since bringing the function in-house in July 2020, have propelled our region onto the world stage with a powerful Destination Central Coast brand that heroes locals, local products and our spectacular natural environment,” Cowley said.
“The team is continually finding new ways to support industry opportunities and grow the visitor economy.
“They have been recognised for their work in supporting the local industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for their tourism management and visitor promotion strategies.
“We congratulate all award winners announced last night, and also want to congratulate Sydney Oyster Farm Tours at Mooney Mooney and Young Achiever, Central Coast local Amanda Woodbine, who were named finalists in the Awards.”
Council Administrator, Rik Hart, said the Central Coast tourism sector was supported by teams at Council dedicated to seeing it prosper – teams who worked alongside the community, industry and all levels of government.
“Tourism is an important pillar of the Central Coast economy and having a strong strategy for the long-term management of the sector which balances community needs and the protection of our environment is vital,” Hart said.
Receiving a Bronze Award in the NSW Tourism Awards adds to the region’s growing list of accolades also driven by Council and Destination Central Coast, including being the only NSW destination named in Green Destinations’ international 2021 Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories list; winning Most Compelling Itinerary in the NSW Top Tourism Town Awards 2021; and The Entrance named a Finalist in Wotif’s Aussie Town of the Year Awards 2021.
Now in their 31st year, the NSW Tourism Awards celebrate business excellence, acknowledge business innovation and reward exceptional customer service.
Parts of the 2021 program were modified to reflect the business challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters over the past 12-months.
This year’s awards attracted 116 entrants representing a diverse range of businesses from across the state with finalists across 29 categories recognised for excellence in a range of tourism areas such as Tourist Attractions, Festivals and Events, Ecotourism, New Tourism Business, Tourism Marketing & Campaigns, Accommodation, Excellence in Accessible Tourism and Local Government Award for Tourism.
Terry Collins