Council’s Airport & Marine Terminal Excels

In a spectacular evening celebrating Queensland’s tourism excellence, Whitsunday Regional Council’s Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour Marine Terminal were proudly recognised for their outstanding contributions to the industry at the 39th annual Queensland Tourism Awards.
Held on Friday, 15 November, at The Star, Queens Wharf, the event was a showcase of the state’s best and Mayor Ry Collins hailed the Whitsundays achievements as a testament to the region’s world-class offerings and unwavering dedication to excellence.
"There are two key reasons why the Whitsundays is an iconic tourism destination: we live in paradise and the incredible commitment of our businesses to delivering exceptional experiences," Mayor Collins said.
“The Whitsundays’ presence shone brightly throughout the evening and huge congratulations to BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, Ocean Rafting, and Pinnacles Airlie Beach for their gold awards, while several other local businesses secured silver and bronze awards.
“A special highlight was the recognition of Elizabeth Hackett, who received the opening award of the night for her immense contributions to the tourism industry.”
Mayor Collins extended his heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and finalists.
"The achievements of our region at this year’s Queensland Tourism Awards are a reflection of the passion and dedication of our tourism operators.
“Together, we continue to elevate the Whitsundays as a world-class tourism destination."
Council’s Director Commercial Businesses Craig Turner said the Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour Marine Terminal remain pivotal gateways to this paradise, showcasing their commitment to innovation and service excellence.
"We are incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and will continue working with our tourism partners to ensure the Whitsundays remains a leader in the industry," Turner said.
“Being recognised on a state level is a great achievement and acknowledgment for the hard work and efforts of the hard-working teams at Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour Marine Terminal.
“I am confident the awards success and recognition of Council owned assets perfectly captures our continued dedication and commitment to keeping various facilities within the region to a high standard to maximise the experiences of visitors.
“Recognition at a state level will ensure both the Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour areas at the forefront of traveller’s minds when visiting the Whitsundays,” Turner said.
In late October, the Whitsunday Coast Airport was awarded Gold in the Tourism Retail, Hire and Services category at the Whitsunday Tourism Awards, the third consecutive win for the establishment in a row, further earning the facility an honourable place in the Hall of Fame.
The Whitsunday Coast Airport is recognised as “the gateway funnel to drive the economy for the Whitsundays”, offering amazing connectivity with direct flights to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns and the new Adelaide route.
Council’s Manager Aviation, Tourism and Marine Shaun Cawood said the revitalised Shute Harbour Marine Terminal is also the kicking goals and this season Shute Harbour will host 25 cruise visits, up from 19 last year, with a total guest capacity of 66,834 (excluding crew).
“In addition to Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, the terminal will welcome new lines this year, including Silversea, Viking, and Norwegian. Here's to another incredible season,” he said
“To deliver exceptional facilities for visitors, we will continue working closely with our airline and cruise line partners to develop new flight routes, and increase capacity across marine visitation.”
Having the final word Mayor Collins said “the tourism industry is very competitive in our beautiful region, and we all need to work hard, and work together towards the common goal of providing the best experiences to all visitors.”

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