Busselton has been named the winner of the 2024 7NEWS Top Tourism Town Award at the 2024 Perth Airport WA Tourism Conference Dinner in Mandurah in June.
Also in the Top Tourism Town category, Geraldton won Silver and Collie claimed Bronze, both towns winning the award for a second year in a row. Busselton will receive a $20,000 airtime package to promote the town on television network 7 Regional WA.
In the Small Tourism Town category, the Gold Medal was awarded to Exmouth for a third year running, with the town being inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with receiving a $10,000 airtime package from 7 Regional WA. The Silver Medal was won by Christmas Island, and Carnarvon was awarded Bronze.
In the category of Tiny Tourism Town, the Gold Medal was awarded to Kalbarri, with Dwellingup winning Silver and Coral Bay claiming Bronze. Kalbarri will receive a $5,000 airtime package to promote the town on 7 Regional WA.
The awards program is a major highlight of the State’s tourism calendar, with prizes eagerly coveted by destinations across Western Australia. Visitor Centres and Local Governments entered the awards on behalf of their destination, and entrants submitted a short video, itinerary and editorial article which was reviewed by a panel of industry judges.
The public then had its say, with more than 10,000 people casting a vote for their favourite Tiny, Small and Top Tourism Towns.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners of the Top Tourism Town Awards. Busselton, Exmouth, and Kalbarri have all displayed an exceptional commitment to delivering high-quality visitor experiences,” Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said.
“All medallists have impressed both an industry panel of judges and the public through consumer voting. They will now go on to represent Western Australia on a national level in the Australian Top Tourism Town Awards,” he said.
The 7NEWS Top Tourism Town Awards have been running for 35 years and recognise cities and towns across Western Australia for their commitment to tourism and the innovative experiences and facilities on offer.
The awards are run by Tourism Council WA and Visitor Centres WA, and are supported by 7NEWS, Vanguard Media Group, Tourism WA and RAC Parks & Resorts.
