NSW Top Tourism Town Awards 2022
Providing communities, business chambers, visitor centres and local governments a chance to showcase how their town encourages tourism development, increases visitation and drives the visitor economy for our state.
Congratulations to NSW's 2022 NATIONAL WINNERS & Finalists
TOP TOURISM TOWN awards
Top Tiny Tourism Town (Population under 1,500 residents)
Winner - Carcoar
Highly Commended - Huskisson
Top Small Tourism Town (Population between 1,500 and 5,000 residents)
Winner - Berry
Highly Commended - Narooma
Top Tourism Town (Population over 5,000 residents)
Winner - Mudgee
Highly Commended - Ulladulla
Judges' Awards
Top Tourism Town Editorial - Newcastle
Top Tourism Town Video - Moama
Top Tourism Town Itinerary - Khancoban
Judges' Commendation
Milparinka
TINY TOWN - SMALL TOWN - TOP TOWN - FAQS - 2021 WINNERS
Home to the Gumbaynggirr people, Bowraville is affectionately known as Bowradise... Bowra will do for locals
A hidden treasure, Broke is quintessential Hunter Valley with lashings of modern country charm.
The picture-perfect town of Carcoar, Australia's most superbly preserved 19th century village.
Pack up the fam and head to the heart of Jervis Bay for the ultimate Huskisson bucket-list getaway.
Discover Australia’s most beautiful Kangaroo Valley, connect with nature, connect with each other.
Riverside bliss and adventure await, ease into a cruisy pace on the road less travelled at Karuah.
A place tucked away past the mountains before the plains, Khancoban still runs to the rhythms of the seasons.
A tiny town with a big story: First Peoples to goldrush to European settlement - and Milparinka's the one to tell it
If you’re looking to escape the mayhem of everyday life, take a trip to Moulamein and go with the flow.
Barham, ever-popular with couples keen to enjoy fresh air, natural surroundings and world-class local produce.
Wind back time and immerse yourself in the historic village charm of nostalgic Berry.
The sweet seaside village of Cabarita Beach is known for its gorgeous beach and laid-back surf vibe.
Soak up world-class waves and family-friendly fun at Culburra Beach, NSW's leading surf destination.
Sometimes a town just feels like home... Molong's that place where you feel like a local not a tourist.
When a town’s name translates from Narooma in local Yuin as clear blue water, you’ve chosen your destination well.
With world-class beaches, fishing, diving and hiking trails, South West Rocks is a haven for nature-lovers.
One-of-a-kind waterways and waterfront accommodation keep sleepy Sussex Inlet top of mind for family fun!
Discover amazing natural wonders in the great outdoors and experience genuine country hospitality. Bathurst is a giant playground for big and little kids alike with a variety of family-friendly attractions perfect for any time of the year to excite and delight every imagination.
Geographically unique, Coffs Harbour is the only place in NSW where the Great Dividing Range meets the Pacific Ocean. Coffs is a thriving eco-tourism destination overflowing with outdoor experiences, family-friendly attractions, local food and drink offerings, and action-packed adventures.
Yaama! Welcome to Gunnedah - the town's Aboriginal namesake Cumbo Gunnerah, or Red Chief as he was also known, was a clever chief and mighty warrior. Who better than the Red Chief to take you on a discovery trip of his land, the place of white stones.
The lakeside town of Long Jetty has experienced a cultural rebirth in recent years and is affectionately known as the Newtown of the Central Coast. The town has been revived by passionate entrepreneurs with hip cafes, vintage and modern boutiques, and is home to some very talented creatives.
Moama offers a tale of two cities: One of good old-fashioned country hospitality born of a rich agricultural and river-trade heritage and another of modern-day sophistication, built on growing demand for world-class wine, dining, nature-tourism and entertainment.
A picturesque post of a gorgeous country town stops my busy fingers in their tracks. Mudgee... I’ve heard of Mudgee. Funny name, but I remember a friend said their wine and food scene is to die for.
A new era has dawned for Newcastle. Built on the back of convicts and forged by fire and steel, NSW's second largest city is midway through a mighty metamorphous from industrial port to contemporary, thriving metropolis.
Winter in Orange sparkles from diamond-white frost glittering on tree branches, sunlight dancing on wine glasses, festival bonfire embers playing with twinkling stars, and there are sparkles in conversation around crackling restaurant fires as the warmth and spirit of Orange take over.
As Australia’s country music capital, Tamworth is a regional city with music in its soul. But Tamworth isn’t just a diverse and welcoming regional city, it’s a lifestyle.
Tucked up in the northeast of NSW bordering QLD, Tweed Heads has a down-to-earth charm and understated beauty often overshadowed by its beachfront village. But this upbeat, riverside town has much to offer, including its very own beach.
Top tier eats, award-winning wineries and natural beauty collide at Ulladulla. From a foodie odyssey to romantic stays by the sea, treat yourself to the ultimate couple’s getaway
Mindful relaxation with an up-and-coming social scene. The sun glistens on the waterway, people in kayaks and tinnies slowly pass by as they head to pick up a famous seafood lunch at the Woy Woy wharf or drop anchor at their favourite fishing spot.
Concrete turns to green and the road opens out to vast fields of farmland with grazing animals. Wyong is history reimagined.
high standard set by 2021 award winners
Populations under 5000
Populations over 5000
Judges Choice Awards
- Most Inspiring Editorial: Oberon
- Most Captivating Video: Tumbarumba
- Most Compelling Itinerary: Ettalong Beach
“In these last six weeks alone, interstate travel has risen and 36% of these are interstate visitors, up from 23% in mid-February. The total number of visitors across regional NSW is up 20% on last year.
Our regional visitor economies are on the road to recovery."
Minister for Tourism, Stuart Ayres: opening address NSW Top Tourism Town Awards 2021
Nominations are open to any city or town, specifically relating to geographical towns and population centres, not Local Government Areas.
Entries are encouraged from Local Chambers of Commerce, Local Tourism Associations, or motivated individuals/groups of locals passionate about elevating the profile of their town but must be submitted via the Visitor Information Centre or Local Council.
Contact us with any questions related to eligibility.
Yes. $150 per nomination. If you are nominating on behalf of multiple towns you will pay $150 for each additional category.
The terminology can be a little confusing!
Nominating is when you formally advise of your intent to enter the NSW Top Tourism Town Awards. At this point, you nominate your chosen category for entry, provide details of the town you are entering and pay your entry fee. This part should take no longer than a few minutes to complete.
To help you navigate Quality Tourism Australia's nomination process, we've created a downloadable Portal User-Guide
The Hall of Fame is awarded to a town that has won the same category for 2 consecutive years. Hall of Fame is awarded at the state/territory and National level.
The Hall of Fame rules are:
1. Towns that are inducted into the National Hall of Fame are precluded from entering into that specific category at the state/territory level for a period of two years.
2. Towns that are inducted into the state/territory Hall of Fame that do not win Gold at the National level in the second year are precluded from entering into that specific category at the state/territory level for a period of two years.
3. Towns that are inducted into the state/territory Hall of Fame that win Gold at the National level for the first time in their second year are eligible to enter into the state/territory level in the following year.
- Read the program requirements carefully this includes full information on submission requirements, top tips and importantly, the judging criteria.
- Feel New Industry Toolkit (Destination NSW) includes writing, photography and video content tips.
- View past winners' entries from 2021 to benchmark your town and for insight into what makes a successful entry.
- Destination NSW content library
You can access your feedback by going to the TAB titled past submissions within the awards portal. You choose your past submission and then select to download feedback.
Yes, however, you are encouraged to refer to the 2021 judges' feedback to enhance your entry.
Yes, but keep it simple as you only have 300 words for this question. This would be within your response to the marketing question: What is the target market for your submission and why have you chosen this target market?
Yes. All past entrants are encouraged to re-enter to achieve a first time win or increase their chances at becoming a Hall of Fame winner, which recognises those towns who have won a category in two consecutive years.
By re-entering and winning at a state level, you increase your chances of being recognised as the best in the country if you win at the Australian Top Tourism Awards.
You can view the 2021 winning entries from Mudgee, and Berrima plus review the entries from Tumbarumba, Ettalong Beach and Oberon who took out Judges Choice Awards.
ReviewPro is an online reputation management platform that aggregates online reviews from over 175 online travel agencies (OTAs) and review sites and in more than 45+ languages into one easy to use platform.
The industry-standard Global Review Index (GRI) is an online reputation score available exclusively to ReviewPro clients, which is used by thousands of businesses worldwide as a benchmark for reputation management efforts. Based on data collected from review sites, the GRI can be calculated for a given point in time (day, week, month, year, etc).
The GRI is used as although the consumer vote is a great tool in the judging process, it can turn into a popularity vote by people that may not have necessarily experienced the town, or by those that can market better to get the votes in. ReviewPro brings in an element of consumer review, but by those that have actually experienced the products within the town, and isn’t influenced by the town’s ability to market for votes.
To create ReviewPro accounts for the chosen businesses, a TripAdvisor, Booking.com or Google Review URL for each accommodation and attraction will be needed. These need to be provided within your submission.
There is no cost for the entrant to create the ReviewPro accounts.
Each individual business nominated needs to have at least 25 online reviews in the 365 days leading up to 6 April 2022 when the GRI will be generated.
Yes, you can but where possible, you are encouraged to select from those within your town.
Yes, natural attractions can be included provided they have a TripAdvisor or google review URL with reviews. A minimum of 25 reviews is required over a twelve month period to generate a GRI.
