Lack of entries in Tourism Awards leaves 8 trophies uncollected.

Airlie Beach has been synonymous with Backpackers for several decades. Who would have guessed a couple of years ago that the 'Tourism Whitsundays Backpackers Accommodation Award' would not be given out this year - because no one entered for the Award.

It is amazing that the Whitsundays can go from Backpacker Heaven, to a Backpacker Desert in just a few years, yet according to the results from the recent Tourism Whitsundays Awards, it has happened.

The top category, 'Best Major Attraction' was also not won.

There were 6 other Tourism Whitsundays Awards left on the presentation table (most were given out last Friday) that failed to even draw an entrant, because of either lack of membership numbers, or lack of interest.

According to Tourism Whitsundays, there was no one worthy this year of receiving the following awards:


1 : Major Attractions
6 : Heritage and Culture
7 : Indigenous Tourism
9 : Visitor Information Services
10: Meetings and Business Tourism
14: Tourism Marketing
17: Tourism Wineries and Boutique Breweries
19: Backpacker Accommodation


Don't Panic. The Whitsundays has not turned in to a ghost town all of a sudden.

The Tourism Whitsundays Awards are only given out to paying members of Tourism Whitsundays. Tourism Whitsundays membership has been plummeting for the past 3 years; testament to this is the lack of entrants for these major awards.

While no award for best Backpackers Accommodation was given out, there are a half a dozen or so backpackers in Airlie Beach alone, and we believe they try their hardest to make their guests comfortable.

The lack of a winner for the 'Major Attraction' Award is odd - what happened to the Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach, and the Islands all of a sudden? (Maybe some guests going out there today can report back to us and confirm that they are still there - ed)

The Tourism Marketing Award was understandably not won, especially as tourism numbers to the Whitsundays have fallen 33% in the last 2 years.

Awards that went uncontested as there was only one entrant were:

12: Tour and/or Transport Operator : Ocean Dynamics
15: Tourism Education and Training : Hamilton Island Enterprises
18: Tourist and Caravan Park : Discovery Holiday Park, Bowen
20: Hosted Accommodation : Waterfront Whitsunday Retreat
21: Unique Accommodation : Fantasea ReefSleep
24: Luxury Accommodation : Qualia, Hamilton Island
26: Excellence in Sustainable Tourism : Paradise Bay
27: Outstanding Contribution by a Volunteer or Group : Rotary
29: Outstanding contribution by an individual : Mark Bell
30: Not for Profit Group : Rotary

Over 55% (18/32) of the Awards either had no entries or only 1 entrant.

Debate on thUMBRELLA
Full list of all Tourism Whitsundays Award Winners

Whitsundays Online