2015 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards
The Australian Tourism Awards are the tourism industry’s peak Awards – recognising and promoting excellence in tourism.
First established by the Federal Government in 1985, the Australian Tourism Awards are now owned and managed by the National Tourism Alliance, on behalf of the tourism industry. A wide and diverse range of tourism businesses enter their state and territory Tourism Awards. Over 200 reach the prestigious status of becoming a national finalist.
Winners from these finalists are announced at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards Ceremony in front of an audience of their industry leaders and peers. The prestigious Hall of Fame trophy is awarded to an entrant who has won the same category for three consecutive years. For both the industry and the consumer an Australian Tourism Award is recognised as a mark of excellence in Australian tourism.
The winners of the 26 business categories at the Brolga Awards are automatically entered into the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards (QATA).
An individual award, Australian Tourism Legend, is also presented to a member of the tourism industry who over a number of years has greatly contributed to the Australian Tourism Industry.
Visit the Australian Tourism Awards website to view all the winners.
2015 QATA Awards - Northern Territory winners
GOLD
Cultural Tourism
Venture North specialises in taking guests ‘off the beaten track’ and into some of the more remote and pristine parts on the Northern Territory.
Guests travel in luxury 4wd vehicles, escorted by expert guides on journeys that are educational, enlightening and most of all good fun!
Venture North offer a remarkable cultural tourism experience by holding a special permit to tour Arnhem Land and operate a remote safari style camp on the Cobourg Peninsula.
Local indigenous people share their extraordinary culture, interpreted through a variety of mediums including art, song, dance, hunting and traditional plant uses.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indigenous Land Corporation and manages tourism and resorts on its behalf.
Voyages offers unique experiences and cultural immersion in spectacular locations around Australia including Ayers Rock Resort.
Voyages works collaboratively with local communities to assist them to exercise sustainable environmental tourism practices, respecting and supporting the local Indigenous cultures and offering employment and training opportunities to the local and broader Australian and Torres-Strait Islander Indigenous communities.
Profits from all business activities are re-invested in the Indigenous and resort experiences and through the various training and development programs.
Visitor Information Services
Tourism Central Australia is the Regional Tourism Organisation for the Red Centre of Australia which geographically covers Uluru, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and all the spectacular places in between.
The organisation’s core functions are to provide visitor information services through the Alice Springs Visitor Information Centre, strategically market the region to potential visitors and help develop and grow the tourism industry in Central Australia.
In the past 12 months, the Alice Springs Visitor Information Centre developed products and services that have set it apart from its competitors including the incredibly popular free walking tour for visitors and they are also the first Australian visitor centre to introduce a queueing system that also collates market research data.
SILVER
Business Event Venue
Almost exactly in the middle of Australia, the Alice Springs Convention Centre boasts 11 separate meeting and event areas, state of the art facilities and a dedicated sales and operations team and is the perfect location to showcase the rich cultural heritage and the unique landscape the Red Centre has to offer.
The Alice Springs Convention Centre features a contemporary architecture that reflects the colours of the Red Centre and the rustic appeal of the outback.
From a meeting for 10 people through to conference of 1200 delegates and exhibitions involving up to 3000 visitors, the Alice Springs Convention Centre is a truly iconic business event venue.
Adventure Tourism
Uluru Camel Tours offer camel experiences that can’t be beaten anywhere in Australia, with stunning views of World Heritage listed Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
Selected from the sixty camels a camel train departs five times daily on fun and informative guided camel rides at sunrise, sunset the camel express or a one-way ride to the Sounds of Silence dinner.
A one humped adventure aboard a ship of the desert which comes in many shapes and forms.
The Uluru camel farm also offers adventure tourism with short rides taking place in the yards throughout the day.
Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services
AAT Kings' award-winning exclusive Uluru Barbecue Dinner is the only evening dining experience inside Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park and can be enjoyed after sunset with Uluru as the stunning backdrop.
AAT Kings friendly and engaging team ensure guests have an unforgettable Aussie BBQ experience in a once-in-a-lifetime holiday destination while setting up and dismantling the BBQ without a trace each day.
The Uluru BBQ includes a welcome beverage, BBQ buffet with classic Australian meat selection and salads and concluding with desert.
Under a night sky full of stars, accredited guides provide a star gazing talk in both English and Japanese.
BRONZE
Ecotourism
Sea Darwin is an eco-certified marine based cruise company which offers year round interpretative experiences in the Top End saltwater country.
As the sun rises each day Sea Darwin prepares to be on the water to share the history, the habitat and the intrigue of their backyard.
Offering awe inspiring turtle and marine habitat encounters. Cruises acknowledge the entire ecosystem from crocodiles to birds to box jellyfish and the culture and traditions that have been formed around them.
Offering four diverse marine tourism products, Sea Darwin’s mission is to showcase Darwin Harbour and the turtles of Bare Sand Island in a way that fosters sustainability and lasting connections with this unique part of Australia.
Tour and Transport Operators
Uluru Camel Tours is an owner operated tour business located at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort alongside the Uluru- Kata Tjuta National Park in the Red Centre of Australia.
Uluru Camel Tours allows all visitors to experience this magnificent desert region in its completely natural state just as the early pioneers did, on a camel.
Uluru Camel tours have a range of tours to suit all visitors whether on a short ride 15 minute ride at the farm or on board the camel train, one of the five different longer guided tours.
Camels can even transfer guests to Voyages iconic Sounds of Silence dinner.
Guests leave with lifelong memories of Uluru and the Outback.
Winner - Australian Tourism Legend
Geoff McGeary OAM is the founder and owner of Australia Pacific Tours (APT). Mr McGeary took over his family touring business 50 years ago and his first foray into the Northern Territory came in 1964, when he took a group of Melbourne students on a camping trip to Central Australia. Since then his business has grown with offices in New Zealand, the UK and the USA, bringing overseas visitors to visit Australian and the Northern Territory. APT has become one of the leading travel companies in Australia, and the world, offering more than 100 different holidays to every corner of the globe, including the Northern Territory.