Number: A68/2019
Relevant: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Date: 18 September 2019
Our Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI) have been awarded the Gold Medal in the Emerging Tourism Town Category at the 2019 Top Tourism Town Awards run by Visitor Centres Western Australia (WA).
Now in its 30th year, the awards program is a major highlight of WA’s tourism calendar, with prizes eagerly coveted by towns and cities across the state. Visitor Centres enter the awards on behalf of their destination, and entrants are required to submit a short video, itinerary and editorial article which is reviewed by a panel of industry judges.
Congratulations to our CKI Tourism Association (CKITA) and team for their stunning entry and their great success, and thank you to everyone in the Indian Ocean Territories (IOT) communities for getting behind them and voting!
The celebrated Gold Medal was awarded to CKI at the WA Regional Tourism Conference held in WA’s Pilbara region last night and includes a $10,000 airtime package for CKITA to further promote CKI on GWN7.
I am so pleased to see CKI take this accolade with more than 8,000 members of the public voting in the awards and praising CKI as “Australia's last unspoiled paradise” featuring “pristine beaches, stunning underwater world and a welcoming and friendly multicultural community”.
It follows Christmas Island’s (CI) success last year winning the best Marketing and Media Destination video category.
CKITA (and CITA) is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development, which is directly responsible for providing essential infrastructure, the legal framework and state-type services in the Indian Ocean Territories (IOT).
Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories, the Hon Nola Marino MP, has asked me to pass on her congratulations to everyone involved in this amazing achievement.
She said she is looking forward to experiencing the unrivalled beauty and unique visitor experiences personally on her first visit to CKI next week!
The Australian Government recognises that highlighting tourism opportunities associated with the islands" natural attributes including their flora and fauna, remoteness, and multicultural communities with business links to mainland Australia and Asia, is a high priority for the CKI community as outlined in the Our Cocos (Keeling) Islands 2030 Strategic Plan.
Well done, and see you on Cocos!
Mrs Natasha Griggs
Administrator of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands