Tourist destination is a finalist
A tourist destination in Killcare is a finalist in the 2013 NSW Tourism Awards which were announced on Friday, October 4, by organisers of the Tourism Industry Council NSW.
Bells at Killcare Boutique Hotel, Restaurant and Spa was one of the 11 finalists from the Central Coast.
The finalists from 31 categories come from a range of tourism areas such as Major Tourist Attractions, Ecotourism, Destination Marketing, Tourism Education and Training.
The Awards celebrate and acknowledge tourism businesses that demonstrate outstanding achievement throughout the year, and the program is supported by Destination NSW.
Tourism Industry Council NSW general manager Mr Andrew Jefferies said the 2013 results were reflective of not only the excellence and high standard of tourism products on offer across the state, but also of the entrant's ability to evolve their products and services to remain competitive.
"I'm confident that the quality of this year's finalists will go on to be reflected at the national level.
"To see so many of our state's tourism operators grow and challenge themselves by entering the awards showcases the strength and resilience of our industry.
"Overall, this year's results have a common theme; it seems that operators now understand the role sustainability plays in their business.
"Entrants across the board have also shown they are more innovative in their services and have focused on what more they can provide their clientele," said Mr Jefferies.
Chair of the judges Mr Reg Edwards said he was extremely pleased to see so many new entrants.
"The new entries really took the calibre of entrants to a whole new level this year, making our job as judges quite difficult.
"We look forward to celebrating with the finalists and winners at the gala ceremony in November," said Mr Edwards.
The winners of the 24th NSW Tourism Awards will go through to compete for the state at the Australian Tourism Awards in February.
The judging process was conducted by a panel of highly experienced tourism professionals and checked and verified by Bell Partners, specialised auditors.
All industry members and finalists are invited to attend the NSW Tourism Awards Gala Ceremony on Thursday, November 28, at Royal Randwick.
Tickets are available for purchase at http://www.nswtourismawards.com.au/awards-ceremony-and-dinner.
Media release, 4 Oct 2013
Diana Spencer, Zadro Communications