The Western Australian coastal town of Exmouth was named Australia's Top Small Tourism Town at this morning's Australian Top Tourism Awards 2022, held at Parliament House in Canberra.
Jamie Van Jones, from Salt and Bush Eco Tours in Mandurah, was named Australia's Top Tour Guide at the event. It was the first time this category has been awarded nationally, after being run in WA as the FACET Golden Guide Award for more than 20 years.
In the category of Top Tourism Town, Mandurah was awarded the Bronze medal. Western Australia's finalist in the Tiny Tourism Town category was Denham.
The Top Tourism Town Awards, part of the Australian Tourism Awards series, showcases the value of tourism to towns and communities across Australia, and celebrates the diversity of regional destinations from all over the country.
Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said the winners and finalists from WA had demonstrated an exceptional commitment to delivering high-quality experiences.
"Exmouth is known as the gateway to the nearby Ningaloo Marine Park and is popular for diving and snorkelling. The town really comes together to promote its natural beauty on land and in the water as one of the world's top destinations for marine wildlife," Mr Hall said.
Jamie Van Jones was recognised as Australia's Top Tour Guide for encouraging visitors to immerse themselves in nature and appreciate the local environment.
"After such a long history of recognising the passionate and dedicated tour guides that create memorable guest experiences through the FACET Golden Guide Award in WA, it is incredibly exciting for WA's Jamie Van Jones to take home the inaugural national Top Guide Award," Mr Hall said.
The Australian Top Tourism Town Awards are presented by the Australian Tourism Industry Council and supported by Tourism Australia, with finalists in each category having won at a state level through a process involving industry panel judges and a public vote. This is the second year the Top Tourism Town Awards have been run nationally, with the program having a lengthy history in WA.
