Ecotourism Australia members win 1 in 4 Australian Tourism Awards

PERTH, Australia - Feb. 27, 2018 - PRLog -- If Ecotourism Australia were a state, it would have come second in Friday night's 2017 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards tally in Perth, proving that ecotourism is more than just a niche industry in Australia.

"It was fantastic to see nearly 10% of all of our certified operators represented as finalists at the Australian Tourism Awards this year, says Rod Hillman, CEO of Ecotourism Australia.

"Receiving an Australian Tourism Award is the highest honour an Australian tourism business can receive.

"The fact that 21% of all 2017 finalists were Ecotourism Australia certified reflects positively on the high calibre of our members and on the passion and dedication they put into their business every day.

"We're very proud."

In total, Ecotourism Australia certified operators took out 24% of all gold awards, 32% of all silver awards and 20% of all bronze awards.

It was a night to be remembered for Advanced Ecotourism certified Tasmanian Walking Company, who were one of two award winners inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame for winning the same category for three consecutive years.

"Winning [the Ecotourism category] brings validation that all our efforts and commitment to running an environmentally responsible operation is heading in the right direction, said Heath Garratt, Tasmanian Walking Company's General Manager.

"We are aware that we can always do better as an ecotourism operator but being awarded in this category is a great honour.

"Ecotourism can sometimes be a bit of an ambiguous term [but] for us, it's about having a respect and passion for the places we're operating in as well as an awareness that we're actually reliant on these wilderness areas."

Other ecotourism certified winners include:

Gold:

·         Kakadu National Park (NT)

·         Parks Victoria (VIC)

·         Ocean Rafting (QLD)

·         The Maria Island Walk (TAS)

·         The Frames (SA)

Silver:

·         Calypso Star Charters (SA)

·         Murray River Walk (SA)

·         Alice Springs Visitor Information Centre (NT)

·         Fun Over Fifty (QLD)

·         Cobbold Village (QLD)

·         Cumberland Charter Yachts (QLD)

·         Cicada Lodge (NT)_

·         Yondah Beach House

Bronze:

·         Sealy Lookout, Orara East State Forest (NSW)

·         Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort (QLD)

·         Venture North Australia (NT)

·         Nitmiluk Tours (NT)

·         Calypso Star Charters (SA)

The other Ecotourism Australia certified finalists were AAT Kings, Aboriginal Cultural Tours SA, Adelaide Zoo, All Seasons Houseboats, Auswalk Walking Holidays, Bedarra Island Resort, Byron Bay Eco Cruises & Kayaks, Cape to Cape Explorer Tours, Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort (World Expeditions), Island Jet Boating, Moonshadow - TQC Cruises, Paronella Park, Peninsula Hot Springs, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Tasmanian Walking Company, Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, TreeTop Challenge and Walk into Luxury.

ENDS

More information:

Australian Tourism Awards:  https://qualitytourismaustralia.com/australian-tourism-awards/

Ecotourism Australia: https://www.ecotourism.org.au/