South-West region wins swag of WA Tourism Awards
10/6/96 The South-West has once again been recognised for its excellent service to tourists by winning a swag of Western Australian Tourism Awards and making the finalists' list in a number of categories.
10/6/96
The South-West has once again been recognised for its excellent service to tourists by winning a swag of Western Australian Tourism Awards and making the finalists' list in a number of categories.
Tourism Minister Norman Moore said businesses in the South-West well deserved their four awards and being nominated as finalists.
"Most tourism operators in the area are continually striving to achieve excellence in whatever service or product they provide," Mr Moore said.
He said Busselton's Mandalay Holiday Resort was a perfect example of this and was to be congratulated for taking caravan and camping parks into a new era.
The Mandalay won the Tourism Council of Australia's award, which recognised the State's best camping and caravan park. The other finalist in the category was also from the South-West - the Taunton Farm Caravan Park in Cowaramup.
"Located on Geographe Bay, the Mandalay has put a tremendous effort into improving its service and facilities to ensure they are first-rate, " Mr Moore said.
Latest facilities at the Mandalay include a television room with surround sound, an undercover entertainment area with campers' kitchen, gas barbecue and table tennis equipment and a solar-heated swimming pool.
The Augusta- Margaret River Tourism Association won the award for the State's best Tourism Association. The Cape Naturaliste Tourism Association and the Kimberley Tourism Association were the other finalists in the category.
Mr Moore said the Augusta-Margaret River Tourism Association had embraced modern technology and was making it work for tourism in the area.
"However, the old as well as the new are vitally important for the association, which is committed to safeguarding the environmental, cultural and heritage areas for posterity," he said.
The Unique Accommodation Award was won by the Pemberton Farm Chalets. Once again, another South-West tourism business also made it to the finals. It was the Laughing Clown Lodge in Yallingup.
In all, the Pemberton area had a record three finalists in the awards, which reflected the growth in tourism in the area.
"The Pemberton Farm Chalets were the first of their type in the district and owners Philip and Sandy Goldring have worked hard and set a standard for others to measure themselves by," he said.
Category six of the awards, Heritage and Cultural Tourism, was won by Cave and Canoe Bushtucker Tours, which are conducted around Margaret River.
Mr Moore congratulated the 67 finalists in the 29 categories for their achievements in promoting WA as a tourist destination.
"The finalists were of the highest calibre and were chosen from a field of almost 120 entrants," he said.
"Awards like these, which recognise those who pursue and achieve excellence, also have a very important role in the industry's future, as they are a measure of excellence for which others can strive.
"Tourism is a fiercely competitive business and you need to have the highest quality product to achieve the winning edge."
WINNERS
CATEGORY 1 MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Scitech Discovery Centre
CATEGORY 2 SIGNIFICANT LOCAL ATTRACTIONS Burswood Park
CATEGORY 3 MAJOR FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS Festival of Perth
CATEGORY 4 SIGNIFICANT LOCAL FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS Dowerin GWN Field Days
CATEGORY 5 ENVIRONMENTAL TOURISM Yardie Creek Tours
CATEGORY 6 HERITAGE & CULTURAL TOURISM Cave, Canoe Bushtucker Tours
CATEGORY 7 ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER TOURISM Artist in Residence
CATEGORY 8 GENERAL TOURISM SERVICES Pinnacle Travel Centre
CATEGORY 9 MEETINGS INDUSTRY Perth Convention Bureau
CATEGORY 10 TOURISM RETAILING Fine Woodcraft Gallery
CATEGORY 11 TOUR & TRANSPORT OPERATORS - MAJOR Pinnacle Tours
CATEGORY 12 TOUR & TRANSPORT OPERATORS SIGNIFICANT Slingair Heliwork
CATEGORY 13 TOURISM ASSOCIATIONS Augusta-Margaret River Tourism Association
CATEGORY 14 TOURISM MARKETING & PROMOTION Kimberley Tourism Association
CATEGORY 15 MEDIA Channel 9, Perth Documentary Unit
CATEGORY 16 INDUSTRY TRAINING - PRIVATE SECTOR Burswood Resort Hotel
CATEGORY 17 INDUSTRY EDUCATION AFTA Travel College
CATEGORY 18 TOURISM RESTAURANTS Kailis Dine in Seafood Takeaway Fishmarket Cafe
CATEGORY 19 WINERIES Houghton Wines
CATEGORY 20 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Harbour Village Quest Apartments
CATEGORY 21 BUDGET ACCOMMODATION Exmouth Backpackers
CATEGORY 22 UNIQUE ACCOMMODATION Pemberton Farm Chalets
CATEGORY 23 CAMPING & CARAVAN PARKS Mandalay Holiday Resort and Tourist Park
CATEGORY 24 MOTORING ACCOMMODATION Shamrock Hotel
CATEGORY 25 SUPERIOR ACCOMMODATION Esplanade Hotel Fremantle
CATEGORY 26 DELUXE ACCOMMODATION Burswood Resort Hotel
CATEGORY 27 INBOUND TOURISM Mandarin Holidays
SIR DAVID BRAND AWARD FOR TOURISM Slingair Heliwork
SIR DAVID BRAND MEDAL Russell Mouritz.
Media contact: Anabel Gomez 321 1444
