Bellarine attractions earn Tripadvisor honours

FOUR attractions on the Bellarine Peninsula have been recognised for their consistently favourable reviews on the world’s largest travel platform.

Searoad Ferries, Scotchmans Hill winery and the historic Bellarine Railway and Fort Queenscliff Museum have all earned a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award.

Tripadvisor operates in 40 countries and houses an estimated one billion reviews on approximately eight million restaurants, hotels, businesses and attractions.

The award, determined based on the quality and quantity of the traveller reviews and ratings a business garners on Tripadvisor over a 12-month period, places each of the four attractions among the top 10 per cent of listings around the world.

Searoad Ferries assistant marketing manager Peter Wallace said the business, which operates a passenger and vehicle ferry service between Queenscliff and Sorrento, was thrilled with the recognition that had come directly from its customers.

“There’s no greater recognition than we could get.

“To have this validation that we’re heading in the right direction and we’re doing the right thing and people are happy with the service that they’re getting, it’s just a testament to everyone here that puts in the hard yards to ensure that happens.”

He said with close to one million people using the ferry service each year, having customers choose to take the time out to advocate for the business on a forum such as Tripadvisor was “pretty special”.

“That’s why we do everything we do – we wouldn’t be here without [our customers].

“To get the sort of ratings that we get, with that volume of people, it means we’re doing something right and we’re happy to be able to deliver on what we promise.”

Mr Wallace said Searoad Ferries was always striving to elevate its customer experience, citing the highly regarded restaurant TARRA, housed at its Queenscliff Ferry Terminal, the recent refurbishing of one of its ferries and the construction, now under way, of a terminal in Sorrento which aims to match the experience offered in Queenscliff, as examples.

John Boris, Tripadvisor’s chief growth officer, congratulated each of the businesses on their awards.

“Travellers’ Choice honours businesses that consistently demonstrate a commitment to hospitality excellence,” he said.

“This means you have made such a memorable impact on your visitors that many of them took the time to go online and leave a great review about the experience.”