THE Blue Mountains Tourism region celebrated an extremely successful night at the 2009 NSW Tourism Awards gala evening held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon tourism members were awarded a stunning cache of six gold awards, two silver and one bronze award.
“The Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon region tourism industry is delighted to achieve such an outstanding result, our best ever.
All of our members across the region will share in basking in gold, silver and bronze this morning”, advised Randall Walker, Chairman, Blue Mountains Tourism Limited.
“It was a high profile evening for our region with the award wins coupled with a strong show of attendance and support by members. It was the best state awards event I have ever attended.
“Ken Corbett and the Tourism Industry Council NSW did a great job organising the awards and the event with more than 750 guests present.
“And the energy across the whole industry was noticeably positive and upbeat, from Minister for Tourism, Jodi Mckay, Lyndel Gray, Executive Director and General Manager of Tourism NSW, and all the regional and local tourism bodies and many individual operators. You could feel that the NSW tourism industry is poised for growth through harmony and cooperation.”
“After our success the state’s tourism industry is certainly in no doubt of both the quality of product and the strength and unity of the industry within the Blue Mountains region”, Mr Walker enthused.
Presented this year for the first time by the Tourism Industry Council NSW (TICNSW), proudly supported by Tourism NSW, with a motivational address by the NSW Tourism Minister Jodi McKay and hosted by Michael Whitney of Sydney Weekender, the award’s black tie ceremony and gala dinner was a truly prestigious event and remains the most significant on the NSW tourism calendar.
The NSW Tourism Awards are a submission and inspection-based competition held annually and celebrates and acknowledges tourism businesses that have demonstrated outstanding achievement and success throughout the year.
Philip Hammon, owner and CEO of Scenic World, won the coveted Award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism by an Individual. The Award was presented by the Minister for Tourism – Jodi McKay.
On accepting the award, Mr Hammon paid tribute to Tourism NSW for the great work they do facilitating international famils [familiarisation tours] to Scenic World. He also thanked Blue Mountains Tourism for the work it does in promoting the region.
Mr Hammon also acknowledged his father Harry Hammon in starting the business, his wife Peta, their children and the great team of staff he had at Scenic World.
He went on to state “tourism is Australia’s greatest export”.
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