Region up for several tourism awards

THE state’s top tourism offerings have been named with the finalists for this year’s Victorian Tourism Awards announced.

More than 90 nominees have been unveiled with six of them based in the region, among them the City of Greater Bendigo.

The municipality’s manager of tourism and major events Terry Karamaloudis said their finalist status is an acknowledgement of the calibre of tourism offerings in the region.

“It’s a clear recognition of the standard of work that the industry is collectively doing,” he said.

“It’s a great delight to be able to go to these sorts of functions and represent what the city and region, and industry folk that collaborate so effectively to make the visitor experience in Bendigo so outstanding.”

The City of Greater Bendigo last year achieved tourism recognition on a national level in the Australian Tourism Awards, winning gold in the Tourism Marketing and Campaigns for Viva Bendigo.

Bendigo Visitor Centre received the bronze in the awards’ Visitor Information Services category.

The region’s annual Lost Trades Fair, Balgownie Bendigo Winery and Glamping, Bendigo Visitor Centre, BIG4 Bendigo Marong Holiday Park, and Bendigo Venues and Events’ production of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle are also up for state awards.

Mr Karamaloudis said Bendigo’s awards nomination spoke to the level of consistent quality from the city’s tourism sector.

“This is about the total Bendigo experience,” he said. “There are lots of stakeholders that do tireless work annually that elevates Bendigo.

“The latest assessment period we have from Tourism Research Australia indicates the Bendigo Loddon region during June 2022 to June 2023, 4.7 million people came to the region.

“Collectively they left behind $1.17 billion. These are substantial figures and reinforces the product and total experience, the reason people come to Bendigo and stay longer, people are responding.”

Led by the Victorian Tourism Industry Council, the nominees are being judged by a panel of 40 industry representatives.

The winners will be announced during a gala event on Thursday 30 November at Crown’s Palladium in Melbourne.