In a gala awards dinner in Brisbane on Friday 10 November, Coral Sea Marina Resort were awarded Gold – Major Tourism Attraction, above some very well known Queensland operators. The final award of the night was proudly received by marina owner Paul Darrouzet and his team, who paid tribute to the great achievements made by his team since he took ownership of the marina 4 years ago.
As first time entrants in the Queensland awards, Coral Sea Marina Resort were humbled by receiving the Gold alongside some of the marina’s best operators – Ocean Rafting (Major Tour & Transport), Island Jet Boating (New Business) and Cumberland Charter Yachts (Unique Accommodation) who also received Gold on the night in their respective categories. Red Cat Adventures (Adventure Tourism) and Whitsunday Escape (Unique Accommodation) were awarded Silver in their respective categories.
The awards total for the Whitsundays was 14, which is testament to the quality of operators in the Whitsundays.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said operators in the Whitsundays had been rewarded for their resilience in the face of enormous challenges. “The Queensland tourism industry is tough, it’s resilient and that has been wonderfully demonstrated in the Whitsundays,” he said. “For an industry so battered and so bruised, to rebuild in the way they have is really a great testament to them.”