About the Awards

Achieving an accolade in the State's premier Tourism Awards will give your business a valuable marketing advantage. The South Australian Tourism Awards form part of the Australian Tourism Awards, which aims to recognise and promote excellence in tourism.

The Tourism Awards are an annual online submission and site visit based competition for tourism businesses and industry suppliers.

Since the state awards were implemented in 1983 the diversity and calibre of entrants has matched the vitality and growing professionalism of the South Australian tourism industry. The range of categories has evolved to reflect the changes that have occurred within the industry, with 29 categories currently available.

The Awards Presentation Ceremony and Gala Dinner provides the opportunity to publicly recognise and showcase this state’s finest tourism operators.

Nominations for the 2012 South Australian Tourism Awards are now open.  Click here to nominate.

Nomination fee:

SATIC Members: $190 per nomination (non-refundable, GST inclusive)

Non-SATIC Members: $290 per nomination (non-refundable, GST inclusive)

 The nomination fee* for the South Australian Tourism Awards includes:

• Awards industry workshops
• State judging panel meetings
• National awards judging process
• State-wide on-site visit assessments
• Co-ordination and administration
• Appointment of independant auditor (KPMG) 

*FREE ACCREDITATION WITH TOURISM AWARDS ENTRY IN 2012 for non-Accredited Entrants

For the first time we are giving the opportunity for all non-accredited Tourism Awards entrants to become tourism accredited; as the accreditation registration fee (usually from $250) will be included in the Awards nomination fee. Once the entrant becomes a tourism accredited business they will also be a member of the South Australian Tourism Industry Council and be T-QUAL endorsed. 

The Awards aims to:

• Publicly recognise and reward excellence in the tourism industry.

• Encourage and celebrate creativity, professionalism and innovation in South Australian Tourism.

• Support improved business planning, development and internal analysis among tourism operators.

• Provide a benchmark for best practice within the tourism industry.

• Continuously improve and raise standards.

• Reinforce the value of the tourism industry.

• Reinforce consumer confidence in the tourism industry.

• Provide a better South Australian visitor experience.

Why enter?

Entering the South Australian Tourism Awards provides an opportunity for you to:

• Raise the profile and reputation of your business.

• Showcase your success to the industry and public.

• Review business goals and record achievements.

• Benchmark against your competitors.

• Receive recognition of excellence by your peers.

• Enhance and celebrate your business performance.

• Build morale and team spirit among your staff.

• You have a great business - celebrate it!

Who chooses award winners

Submissions are judged by a panel of industry peers selected for their knowledge and experience in the tourism industry, including former award winners.

Judges are grouped in teams of three, but independently review and score submissions. Each group assesses approximately five categories.

The judges are looking for sustainable businesses that are making a real contribution to South Australian tourism with passion, planning and a commitment to excellence and innovation.

Independent assessment assured

Professional auditors, KPMG Adelaide, oversee the South Australian Tourism Awards judging process. Their role is to audit submissions for compliance, audit score sheets and check conflicts of interest and confidentiality declarations.

The Awards

Depending on the standard of entry, entrants may be acknowledged with a gold, silver or bronze medal. The winner (the entrant with the highest score) in each category will go on to contest the Australian Tourism Awards.

Winner - awarded to the entry which is judged to be the most outstanding in its category.

Gold Medal - presented to entries of a very high standard, where the judging panel awards the entrant a score of 90% or higher.

Silver Medal - presented to entries of a high standard, where the judging panel awards the entrant a score of 80% or higher.

Bronze Medal - presented to entries of a very good standard where the judging panel awards the entrant a score of 75% or higher.

Hall of Fame - awarded to an entrant winning the same category three years in a row.

They will be acknowledged for their achievements for a three-year period, during which they are still able to contest the state awards.