The pandemic affected all of us, from childcare workers to lawyers. Two sectors that were especially affected by the border restrictions and lockdowns were the tourism and events industries.
Now is the time to recognise and celebrate the strength of the industries’ responses. From now until July 9, you can nominate your event for The Canberra Region Tourism Awards. Whether you’ve been involved in a major sport, art, or culture event, if it’s played a part in tourism, you’re welcome to enter.
Unsure about whether your event will qualify? Here are a few of the categories you could enter your event into:
Major Festivals and events
The category of Major Festivals and events recognises all festivals, events and exhibitions that increase visitation, awareness and appeal of the place where they are held. It includes sporting, arts, historical, literacy and general interest festivals that have a visitor attendance of over 50,000 or are recognised by the STO as a major festival or event.
Festivals and events
Similar to Major Festivals and events, with the exception of visitor attendance, which should be under 50,000. Your event can also qualify for this category if it isn’t recognised by the STO as a major festival or event.
Ecotourism
If you’re running a sustainable event or business, with a strong focus on the experiences nature provides, this might be the category for you. You might also apply for this category if your event fosters conservation and environmental appreciation.
Cultural tourism
If your event or business focuses on and encourages a greater appreciation of culture, history and the arts, you might consider applying for this category.
For a comprehensive list of all the categories you could qualify for, take a look at the official Canberra Tourism Awards categories page.
Feeling excited about nominating your event? We would be too! Before you get down to it, there are a few changes you’ll want to know about first.
Due to the impact that COVID-19 had on the tourism industry, the qualifying period has been extended, and now spans from the first of July 2019 until the 30th of June 2021. Many of the questions have also been changed to acknowledge the resilience, innovation and hard work the tourism industry experienced. Alongside the changes in questions, there has also been a new Judges Choice Award added, which will recognise a finalist who exemplified resilience in their work.
With so many of us working online, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that an online review and customer rating score will also factor into the judges’ assessments.
With all of that in mind, how do you enter? It’s a straightforward process: visit the Canberra Tourism Awards website and have a read of what’s required. When you’ve prepped your submission of 8,000 words and answered the questions relevant to your category, create an account on the Australian Tourism Awards online portal. Pay the relevant fee, prepare for a visit from the judges, and finalise uploading your submission. Once you’re done there, sit down and have a coffee – the hard part is over!
After the rough time we’ve all been having, it’ll be great to see the finalists and winners later this year. Here’s hoping we’ll see you on the list!
Photo: Danny Howe
