QPRC Mayor Kenrick Winchester (right) and Bungendore Chamber of Commerce members Matilda Jones and Martina Woodford were delighted with the recognition. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The annual Canberra Region Top Tourism Town awards have been announced, and the town of Bungendore has been recognised by the Canberra Region Tourism Industry Council (CRTIC) as this year’s most outstanding regional destination in the wider Canberra district.
The award was presented at the Canberra region visitors centre, with Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) Mayor Kenrick Winchester and members of the Bungendore Chamber of Commerce accepting the award.
CRTIC CEO Dr Naomi Dale opened proceedings with an acknowledgement that the awards are designed to recognise that Canberra is far more than just the physical state and that tourism to the region relies on the surrounding towns located over the NSW border.
“It’s fantastic to connect, celebrate, and acknowledge the hard work that the destinations in our region do to support the visitor economy,” said Dr Dale.
Mayor Winchester was pleased with the win and recognised the Bungendore community and the hardworking business owners as being the key to the town taking out the award.
“The local community is the heart and soul of the visitor experience here, and the people of Bungendore are deserving recipients of this recognition,” said Mayor Winchester.
Mayor of QPRC Kenrick Winchester accepts the top tourism town award for Bungendore. Photo: Tenele Conway.
He also recognised the importance of the tourism sector in supporting local jobs, with visitor dollars being crucial to the region’s economy.
“The tourism sector is vital to the prosperity of our regional towns, injecting $370m into the Queanbeyan-Palerang economy and providing work to over 1000 local residents.”
The Malbon, one of the many businesses in Bungendore that will benefit from increased tourism associated with the win. Photo: Tenele Conway.
In the coming months, a coinciding tourism campaign will be launched by QPRC, encouraging Canberra-based and interstate travellers to experience what makes Bungendore a unique destination.
“Visitor spending is critical to our local economy; one in every three dollars spent in Bungendore comes from outside this region, with a multiplier effect flowing through the economy,” QPRC’s economic development officer Madeline Newton said.
“A dinner at one of our amazing restaurants can benefit not just that small business, but also the farmers, the truffle growers and the amazing winemakers that we have in our region.”
As a part of the tourism campaign, QPRC will be releasing a number of multiday itineraries to help visitors explore the best of their newly awarded top tourism town of Bungendore.
At the heart of those experiences is a creative town of cellar doors, art galleries, antique stores, heritage pubs, and local food producers.
The Royal Hotel Bungendore is a drawcard for the town with its multi-million dollar renovation. Photo: Martin Conway.
Madeline said that in addition to the marketing campaign, which was named Meet You In Bungendore, QPRC would be offering further support to businesses in the region to make the most of the win.
“We’re also hosting a series of events, including a visitor economy forum right here in Bungendore, offering advice to our businesses on how to leverage this opportunity, provided by industry experts from across the Canberra region.”
