Rockhampton Regional Council has once again been recognised among Queensland's tourism leaders, taking home both Gold and Silver at the 2026 Queensland Tourism Awards, held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday evening.
The region's success saw Explore Rockhampton's Busby's On Tour Drive Campaign awarded Gold in the Richard Power Award for Tourism Marketing and Campaigns, while Rockynats secured Silver in the Festivals and Events category, reinforcing the Rockhampton Region's reputation as a destination that delivers both award-winning marketing and award-winning visitor experiences.
The Gold Award marks a significant milestone for Rockhampton Regional Council, representing the third Gold Award received in Tourism Marketing and Campaigns over the past four years and continuing an outstanding run of success that has seen the region place every year since 2022.
The region's record in Tourism Marketing and Campaigns now stands at:
- 2022 - Silver, Mates, Families and Nomads Campaign
- 2023 - Gold, The Ultimate Mates Trip Campaign
- 2024 - Gold, Accessible Tourism Campaign
- 2025 - Bronze, Major Event Campaign
- 2026 - Gold, Busby's On Tour Drive Campaign
As Queensland's highest tourism industry honours, the awards are independently judged against statewide benchmarks for excellence and recognise outstanding achievement across the visitor economy.
The latest recognition is a strong endorsement of the work undertaken by Advance Rockhampton over the past six years to build visitation, strengthen the region's tourism profile and position Rockhampton as a leading Queensland destination. It also reinforces the value of Council's ongoing investment in tourism, helping attract visitors, increase visitor expenditure, support local businesses and generate economic benefits throughout the region.
The Silver Award for Rockynats further highlights the growing strength of the Rockhampton Region's events sector and the important role major events play in driving visitation, overnight stays and economic activity. Since its inception, Rockynats has become one of regional Australia's premier motoring festivals, attracting visitors from across the country while generating significant economic impact for local accommodation providers, hospitality venues, retailers and tourism operators.
The award demonstrates that Rockhampton is not only producing some of Queensland's most successful destination marketing campaigns, but is also delivering major events capable of competing with the state's best. Together, the Gold and Silver awards reflect a tourism industry that continues to mature and grow through the combination of strategic destination marketing, investment in major events and strong industry collaboration.
While the awards acknowledge individual campaigns and events, they also recognise the collective efforts of an entire region working together to position Rockhampton as a leading Queensland destination. They reflect the contribution of local tourism operators, event organisers, volunteers, businesses and community members who welcome visitors every day and help deliver experiences that keep people returning.
Quotes attributable to Mayor Tony Williams
"Winning both Gold and Silver at the Queensland Tourism Awards is a fantastic result and reinforces Rockhampton's reputation as one of Queensland's leading tourism destinations."
"The Gold Award for Busby's On Tour marks our third Gold in Tourism Marketing and Campaigns in four years and continues an incredible run of success that has seen our region recognised every year since 2022. It's a strong endorsement of the work Advance Rockhampton has undertaken to grow our visitor economy."
"Rockynats' Silver Award highlights the growing strength of our events sector and the significant role major events play in attracting visitors, supporting local businesses and generating economic benefits across the region. It shows Rockhampton is delivering experiences that can compete with the best in Queensland."
"These awards are a credit to our tourism operators, event organisers, businesses, volunteers and community members who help showcase our region every day. As we look towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, they demonstrate that Rockhampton is well positioned to capitalise on new tourism opportunities and continue growing our visitor economy."
Quotes attributable to Councillor Marika Taylor
"These results are a credit to the many people who contribute to our visitor economy and help make the Rockhampton Region such a welcoming and memorable destination."
"Busby's On Tour resonated with audiences because it told an authentic story about experiencing the Rockhampton Region through the eyes of a local family, while Rockynats continues to demonstrate the power of major events in attracting new visitors and showcasing our destination to national audiences."
"Together, these awards show the strength of a tourism industry that is growing in confidence, growing in capability and continuing to deliver results for our region and local businesses."
