Looking for some regional travel inspo? You’ve come to the right place. The 2023 TAC Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards just ran, and three very deserving winners have taken out the major categories.
Ballarat was named Victoria’s Top Tourism Town (for places with a population over 5,000), Sorrento took gold for the Top Small Tourism Town Award (for places with a population between 1,500 and 5,000) and the coastal hamlet of Aireys Inlet came out a winner for the Top Tiny Tourism Town Award (population under 1,500).
These annual awards – hosted by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) – recognise and reward Victorian towns that put in the hard yards to create an amazing experience for visitors by working together with local businesses, tourism operators and the local community. Seventeen outstanding finalists were competing for the prize in 2023, with townships like Bendigo, Heathcote and Red Hill South earning silver medals, and Frankston, Woodend and Jamieson achieving bronze recognition.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of our regional towns and centres across Victoria and these awards celebrate the commitment of these destinations to delivering the very best experiences, ensuring they create magical memories for their visitors to cherish,” said VTIC chief executive, Felicia Mariani.
The three Victorian winners will now go on to compete for the coveted title of Australia’s Top Tourism Town in their respective categories, which will be announced on September 14 at Parliament House in Canberra. We’ll absolutely be cheering them on – and booking our visits, asap.
And when visiting these award-winning towns, ensure you plan your pause stop to rest and recharge. Find TAC’s stop locations here.