The stars of Victoria's tourism industry have been celebrated in a dazzling gala event held on November 27 at Centrepiece at Melbourne Park. It was a wonderful opportunity for the state's leaders in tourism excellence to come together and shine a spotlight on the businesses and individuals – from beloved attractions to exciting new regional experiences – who are consistently going above and beyond to cement Victoria's position as a must-visit, world-class destination.
Now in its 39th year, the Victorian Tourism Awards play a vital role in connecting businesses and encouraging collaboration, professionalism and innovation. As the culmination of a year-round process, it provides an opportunity to pay tribute to all the tourism operators, experienced industry identities, volunteers and support workers who achieve continued high standards in the visitor economy.
Industry identities from across the state were in attendance for the event, which was hosted by presenter, singer and actor, Rob Mills. The proceedings kicked off with a Welcome to Country, and featured a speech by VTIC CEO, Lisa Patroni, and a performance by the cast of MJ the Musical.
Winners were crowned from 99 finalists in 29 major categories, including Cultural Tourism, Unique Accommodation, Festivals and Events, Visitor Information Services and Adventure Tourism. The judging panel comprised a cross-section of tourism industry professionals and former award winners.
This year's event saw the second iteration of the Hallmark Events Icon Award – a category that celebrates Victoria's vibrant and enviable event calendar. The special award went to the Avalon Australian International Airshow for bringing significant benefits to the local economy and tourism sector, as well as attracting a diverse audience.
Other major winners included the MCG, which was awarded gold in the Major Tourist Attraction category (with Melbourne Zoo and Melbourne Park taking out silver and gold, respectively); and Lightscape, which won for the second year in a row in the Major Festivals and Events category. Sovereign Hill also received the Excellence in Accessible Tourism crown for the second year running; while the family-owned Go Adventure Nagambie was inducted into the Hall of Fame in two categories (Tourism Retail, Hire and Services and Adventure Tourism) and also clinched gold for Tour and Transport Operator.
And the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre achieved a historic milestone: winning for the third consecutive year in Business Events and earning a coveted place in the Hall of Fame – well done! The winners will now advance to the Australian Tourism Awards, which will be held in Fremantle on March 6, 2026.
These awards are delivered by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council, and supported by a number of partners, including Presenting Partner, City of Melbourne; Platinum Partner, Visit Victoria and the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions; and Gold Partner, Melbourne Airport and RACV Travel and Experiences.
For more information on the event, head to the VTIC website. For the full list of finalists and winners, see here.
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