The Top Tourism Town Award celebrates destinations that deliver outstanding visitor experiences and demonstrate strong collaboration between tourism operators, local businesses, governments, and their communities.
Echuca was awarded the title at the Victorian Tourism Conference in Morwell on Wednesday, August 12.
Victorian Tourism Industry Council chief executive Lisa Patroni said Echuca’s win was a reflection on the entire town.
“It really is around the visitor experience offerings that (towns) have,” Ms Patroni said.
“It’s the collaboration that exists between local businesses and tourism operators, it’s the value the community obviously plays, it’s the infrastructure, it’s the experience.
“It’s the end-to-end total offering that evolves in these regional communities.
“It’s also all the other types of licensed tourism operators, guides, restaurants, accommodation providers, supermarkets, petrol stations that all feed in to the overall experience that visitors have when they come into our local towns and cities.”
Tourism is a major driver of Echuca and the wider Campaspe Shire’s economy, with the award generating significant press coverage about the town and its offerings from several major publications.
“(The awards) really highlight the significance of what (the towns) bring,” Ms Patroni said.
“These award shine a spotlight on communities that are not only welcoming visitors, but are creating vibrant places to work, live, and invest.”
She said that, while cost of living pressures are taking their toll, one thing VTIC has seen is that people will give up a lot before they give up their holiday.
But with rising fuel costs, poor regional road conditions and a lack of knowledge about what towns have to offer, Ms Patroni said ongoing support was crucial for Victorian holiday destinations.
“We need to keep enabling businesses to succeed,” she said.
“There's a lot of discussion about roads and the conditions of roads in Victoria right now.
“They’re an incredibly important enabler for people to get out and holiday in regional Victoria.
“We need to make sure that the infrastructure and experience, and the support businesses need to thrive and be resilient, particularly in a time of disruption, continue to be here.
Echuca will represent Victoria alongside small and tiny town award winners Portarlington and Portsea at the Australian Top Tourism Town Awards in September, and Ms Patroni is calling on people to use the awards as a reminder to support their state.
“(I’d) encourage Victorians to think local,” she said.
“Look in (your) own backyard before perhaps thinking about booking that flight or that longer drive into another state.
“We’ve got so many incredible experiences to offer here in Victoria, and we should never take that for granted.”
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