MEDIA RELEASE: ECOTOURISM AUSTRALIA MEMBERS TAKE HOME OVER A QUARTER OF ALL NATIONAL TOURISM AWARDS

Posted by Lina Cronin on 6 March 2019 | Comments

Tags: Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2018; Fun Over Fifty; Cicada Lodge; Nitmiluk Tours; Red Cat Adventures; The Frames; Kimberley Quest; Roaring 40s Kayaking; Paronella Park; Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park; Cobbold Village; Pennicott Wilderness Journeys; Ocean Safari; Capricorn Caves; Whitsunday Escape; Calypso Star Charters; Three Capes Track; Busselton Jetty; Mossman Gorge Centre; Willie Creek Pearls; Tourism Central Australia

Ecotourism Australia certified operators have once again cleaned up at this year’s 2018 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, taking home over a quarter of all awards including six gold, nine silver and six bronze.

With 21 awards won overall, Ecotourism Australia would have come first in the awards tally if it were a State. 

CEO Rod Hillman says that he is proud, but not surprised: “Our certified operators run amazing businesses. They’re not just focused on sustainability – they’re out there delivering exceptionally high-quality experiences that their visitors can’t stop talking about.

“On top of that, they’re passionate operators who pass on their love of what they do, and of the environment, to their guests. It’s no surprise that these operators get rewarded.”

Thirty-four Ecotourism Australia members were nominated for 38 awards across 15 categories, with Gold Awards won in the categories of Major Tour and Transport Operators, Tour and Transport Operators, Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services, Luxury Accommodation, Self-Contained Accommodation and of course, Ecotourism, the category which Ecotourism Australia sponsors.

“Ecotourism Australia has been sponsoring the Ecotourism category of the national tourism awards for the past three years,” explains Dr. Claire Ellis, Ecotourism Australia’s Chair, “and it’s great to see that every finalist was ECO Certified.

“Operators certified through our ECO Certification program deliver best practice ecotourism experiences in this country and by sponsoring this category of the awards, we ensure that this high quality is recognised and maintained.”

Ecotourism Australia’s ECO Certification program is one of only six certification programs worldwide which hold the international stamp of quality assurance, as they are accredited through the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and independently audited. With hundreds of sustainability certification programs now available worldwide, having this international accreditation helps both tourism operators and consumers to understand the difference between genuine, rigorous certification programs and those which are not backed by genuine sustainability efforts.

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For more information about Ecotourism Australia and its certification programs, please visit the Ecotourism Australia website: www.ecotourism.org.au.

For more information about the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, please visit the awards website: https://qualitytourismaustralia.com/australian-tourism-awards/.

For questions / comments, please contact Rod Hillman, CEO:  0427 279 414

 

 

Ecotourism Australia’s Australian Tourism Award Winners 2019