Shire tourism businesses recognised at national awards

Published on 19 March 2019

Two Shire businesses have been recognised in the Australian Tourism Awards in Launceston on Friday, 1 March.

Alkina Lodge, at Wattle Hill, won a silver medal in the Luxury Accommodation Category.

Heytesbury House, in Cobden, was a finalist in the Hosted Accommodation category.

The Australian Tourism Awards recognise and promote excellence in tourism.

Businesses enter their state and territory tourism Awards and more than 200 progress to becoming a national finalist.

The two businesses won gold medals in the same categories at the Victorian Tourism Awards in Melbourne on 22 November last year.

Alkina Lodge also won gold in the state awards in 2017 and Heytesbury House won silver in 2017 and 2016.

Mayor Neil Trotter congratulated Alkina Lodge proprietors Michael and Sue Minshall and Andrew and Kathryn Stubbings, from Heytesbury House, on their achievements.

He said the quality of service shown by the two businesses helped make the Shire a destination of choice.

“Corangamite Shire is in the country’s premier tourism region with more visitors to the Great Ocean Road each year than the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru combined,” Cr Trotter said.

“The well-deserved recognition of these two businesses turns the national spotlight on Corangamite and upholds our reputation as a must-visit destination.

“We want businesses in our region to be the terrific experiences that visitors go away talking about, encouraging their friends to come and see what we have to offer.

“Awards like this can foster a culture of excellence with flow-on effects for the wider Shire economy.”

The Stubbings recently partnered with Corangamite Shire to present a workshop aimed at helping Bed and Breakfast and farmstay operations achieve success and contribute to the Shire’s short stay sector.