Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney today congratulated Holiday Great Ocean Road for being honoured at the Melbourne Airport 2007 Victorian Tourism Awards last Monday night.
Holiday Great Ocean Road received the City of Melbourne Award for specialised Tourism Services.
Holiday Great Ocean Road is a specialised property management and booking service for the Great Ocean Road region. Established in 2002, Holiday Great Ocean Road manages 29 properties from million dollar beach front houses to secluded bush hideaways.
“The tourism industry is worth $3.4 billion to the regional Victorian economy and provides jobs for 61,000 people,” Ms Tierney said.
“Holiday Great Ocean Road is a great contributor to the local economy and community here in Warrnambool and can be rightly proud of being recognised in this way.”
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Tim Holding said “The Awards are an opportunity to recognise those tourism operators and individuals whose commitment to excellence, innovation and professionalism set an ambitious benchmark for the entire industry”.
Winners were announced across 26 business categories, ranging from accommodation to tourism marketing, ecotourism, tourism training and new developments. Three additional awards honoured personal contributions to the tourism industry.
Mr Holding said more than 130 businesses and individuals competed for top honours in this year’s awards, a 25 per cent increase on last year.
More than 60 tourism businesses were honoured in total, either winning their category or receiving a merit or finalist placing. Around half of recipients are from regional Victoria.
Winners of the Melbourne Airport 2007 Victorian Tourism Awards will represent Victoria at the 2007 Australian Tourism Awards to be held in Canberra in February 2008.