General News
5 November, 2022
Awards celebrate TNQ tourism excellence
A RECORD number of submissions were received for the 2022 Simon George & Sons TNQ Tourism Industry Excellence Awards held at the Hilton Cairns on Friday, October 28.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chair Ken Chapman told the 170 guests that the industry’s optimism was reflected in the solid submissions for the awards, which celebrate industry excellence and innovation.
“The positive atmosphere at the awards ceremony came after solid wins for the tourism industry in 2022 when we achieved record domestic expenditure for the fourth consecutive quarter with the $3.12 billion helping our regional economy to get back on its feet,” Mr Chapman said.
“After two challenging years, our tourism industry continues to innovate, and we recognise this by adding the Sustainable Tourism Excellence Award this year.
“TTNQ is also proud to make the 2022 Simon George & Sons TNQ Tourism Industry Excellence Awards good for the planet by partnering with Reforest to offset more than six tonnes of carbon through sponsoring the rehabilitation of the Mabi Rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands, making the awards carbon neutral.”
“I congratulate the winners and runners-up of the 2022 Simon George & Sons TNQ Tourism Industry Excellence Awards for their leadership.”
Life Member Allan Tan
The Reef Hotel Casino Chief Executive Officer Allan Tan has been a key player at the city’s cornerstone attraction and venue setting the standard for high-end hotels in Cairns for a quarter of a century.
Outstanding Contribution by an Individual – Bob Manning
As Cairns Port Authority CEO, he oversaw the opening of the Cairns International Airport, kickstarting the rapid growth of international tourism to the destination and applied airport terminal thinking to the reef fleet resulting in the development of the Reef Fleet Terminal as part of the Cityport masterplan.
Chair’s Award for Excellence – Experience Co
Sponsored by Cairns Regional Council While the pandemic was squeezing our tourism industry, the Experience Co team took the plunge and won State Government support to build the first new pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef in a decade, opening the Reef Magic pontoon in April this year.
Young Achiever Excellence Award – Tayla Ahrens, Cairns Airport Marketing Manager
Tayla’s marketing campaigns to support aviation growth across Tropical North Queensland include the eye-catching COVID-safe signage for Cairns Airport, which was endorsed by key industry groups and is in the State Library of Queensland’s collection of heritage memories.
Customer Service Excellence Award – Wil Kemp, Driver/ Guide, The Savannahlander
Sponsored by Bang Media Working in a remote area, Wil has dealt with a few emergencies, including the train being stranded by unseasonal rain in Forsayth. Wil turned this experience around by giving impromptu wildlife walks to educate passengers about the local flora and fauna.
Sustainable Tourism Excellence Award – Passions of Paradise
The reef operator employed its first marine biologist 25 years ago, and an environmental manager was appointed more than a decade ago to deliver their business philosophy of giving Mother Nature a say in everything they do.
Best of Queensland Experiences Excellence Award – ABC Snorkel Charters
The family-run business was Tropical North Queensland’s highest performer in the Best of Queensland Experiences program, recognising tourism experiences that bring the Queensland story to life and consistently deliver an exceptional customer experience.
