WINNERS of The Western Australian Tourism Award announced at a gala dinner last week came from a diverse range of backgrounds and areas of contribution.
The Perth Zoo, nominated in four categories, won both the Sir David Brand Award for tourism excellence, as well as jointly winning the Sir David Brand youth medal.
Perth Zoo chief executive officer Brian Easton was delighted with the result, singing the praises of youth medal winner Kylie Bullo.
“The youth medal is very important to us because we have so many highly qualified and committed young people in the zoo,” Mr Easton said.
Equal winner of the Sir David Brand youth medal was Lisa Smith from Rottnest Island.
The Sir David Brand medal for an individual contribution to tourism was won by Tricia and David Horgan, developers of the Leeuwin Estate Winery and famed concert series.
Leeuwin Estate also won the tourism winery award, its third consecutive victory.
Skydive Express Resort Skydiving Centre won the inaugural adventure tourism award. Skydive Express general manager and founder Krishna Strickland said the award would increase the company’s status, profile and exposure.
For the third year in a row, Channel Nine’s Postcards WA won the media category, and conference organiser Congress West made it a trifecta of wins in the meeting industry category, and will go into the Hall of Fame next year.
Tourism Minister Clive Brown inducted eight tourism operators into the Hall of Fame, including Giants Tree Top Walk, Eco Beach Wilderness Park, Perth Convention Bureau, Gloucester Ridge Winery and Café Restaurant, El Questro Wilderness Park (in two categories), Taunton Farm Caravan Park and Slingair Heliwork WA.
