Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat have won gold in the Hosted Accommodation category of the Australian Tourism Awards held on the Sunshine Coast on Friday night.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said it was an exciting night for tourism operators, highlighting how important the national tourism industry was for the economy.

“Montville’s Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat taking gold for Hosted Accommodation is wonderful acknowledgement of a tourism operator’s ambition to provide outstanding service and encourage visitation to our beautiful Sunshine Coast,” he said.  

Golden night for Queensland at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards

Presented at the Sunshine Coast Convention Centre, more than 700 tourism operators and guests gathered on Friday 18 March to recognise the achievements and resilience of Australia’s finest visitor experiences. 

Queensland Tourism Industry Council Chief Executive and Chair of the Australian Tourism Awards Daniel Gschwind said that the Awards offered a platform to showcase the world-class experiences and destinations that Australia has to offer. 

“The Awards are testament to the commitment and determination of our nation’s top tourism businesses, who, despite the difficulties of the past two years, consistently provide visitors with exceptional experiences.

“While all the winners and finalists should be congratulated for their achievements through these challenging times, we’re particularly proud of Queensland’s success at this year’s Awards”, said Gschwind. 

Competing with the nation’s best tourism products, Bundaberg Rum Distillery Visitor Experience were the big winners at the Awards night, walking away with top honours for a third time in Tourism Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries. 

Having achieved a golden hat trick, the Distillery Experience were inducted into the Australian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame.

Overall, Queensland tourism celebrated a remarkable night by accepting 15 accolades at this year’s national Awards with 6 Gold, 5 Silver, and 4 Bronze being awarded to exceptional Sunshine State operators. 

A total of 75 awards were presented across 25 categories, including Red Cat Adventures who took home Gold for Adventure Tourism, as did Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat in the Hosted Accommodation category, and Empire Apartment Hotel for 4-4.5 Star Accommodation. 

Other Queensland winners include Beef Australia Limited for Major Festivals & Events, and Spirits of the Red Sand, who took out the prestigious Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism Award.