Northern Australia Dominates British Airways Global Tourism Awards

Northern Australia's excellence in Environmental Tourism was honoured in London today with Savannah Guides and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway winning two international British Airways Tourism Awards.

The Australian companies, both based in Cairns, dominated the 2000 British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, taking out two of the six Category Awards, for Best Tourism Organisation and Mass Tourism, respectively.

British Airways' Regional General Manager, Don Clark says the Companies should be congratulated for their fine work and are both prime examples of the environmental excellence British Airways is trying to promote in the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.

"British Airways is proud to be associated with organisations like Skyrail and Savannah Guides as they are doing visionary work towards promoting and protecting the area in which they exist," he said.

"These organisations are outstanding examples of how commercial tourism ventures and a unique natural environment can co-exist in total harmony."

"This is a message to Australia that it is leading the world in the future of tourism. Australia is to be congratulated as it was the most successful single country to participate in the Global Awards."

Savannah Guides' win is on the tail of its success in the inaugural British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards - Australian category last week.

Attending the Awards ceremony in London, Tom Warnes, President of Savannah Guides Limited could not believe his Company's good fortune in winning the Global Award for Best Tourism Organisation.

"Naturally, we thought it was an enormous honour to win the Australian category but to be recognised globally for our work is incredible. Our competition was fierce, so we are thrilled with the news," he said.

"When you think that we are a non-profit organisation that is made up of a lot of hard working volunteers, it makes it even more special to be recognised by an Company like British Airways."

"We offer our visitors unique access to some of the most beautiful countryside in Northern Australia whilst preserving the environment. Our aim is to protect and interpret each region's natural and cultural assets through our tours."

Formed in 1988 to educate visitors through its guides and tourism sites about the environmental conditions of the Gulf Savannah region, the Company now comprises of 13 ecotourism enterprises and offers guided tours throughout the 1.9 million square kilometers of the Tropical Savannahs stretching from Cairns to Broome.

Ken Chapman, Managing Director of Skyrail, says their Award for Mass Tourism is recognition for ten years of hard work.

"When we initially put our idea forward to create a tourism site that would not impact the environment, we were told that it could not be done. This award is recognition that we've achieved what we set out to do, it's fantastic," he said.

The Skyrail cable car stretches 7.5km over world heritage listed tropical rainforest to allow tourists to see the beauty of the area without degrading it.

"In Tropical North Queensland, the only tourist attractions are our environmental treasures so if we don't look after them properly our future is gone. We have known since the beginning that our aim was to co-exist with nature and not let our visitors impact on the environment and we believe what we have works," Mr Chapman said.

Couran Cove in Queensland's South East also received recognition with a Highly Commmended Award in the Environmental Accommodation category. The overall Global Award was won by Karimabad & Baltit Project Devlopment Hunza, Pakistan.

The British Airways' Tourism for Tomorrow Awards attracts hundreds of entries every year from around the globe. To mark its 10th anniversary, the Airline introduced the six new global award categories this year alongside the Australian category.

Further Information:

Phoebe Russell or Rachel Keighery
Prue MacSween & Associates (02) 9327 4333

Released: 11 October, 2000

Return To Awards