Queensland’s Top Tourism Towns and Tour Guides Revealed

The state's best holiday hotspots and local treasures have been revealed at the 2024 Queensland Top Tourism Town Awards Ceremony in Brisbane, with Roma, Airlie Beach, and Winton claiming the top gong.

Presented by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC), the annual Top Tourism Town Awards celebrate regional communities that demonstrate a commitment to visitor excellence.

After an extensive judging process by tourism experts and a public vote that attracted more than 16,000 votes, Queensland's top holiday destinations were announced from a shortlist of 16 finalists. Across three hotly contested award categories, regional destinations were crowned the best in Queensland based on population size.

With a population over 5,000, the outback icon of Roma was named the 2024 Queensland Top Tourism Town.

For a third consecutive year, Airlie Beach took out the top honours for Queensland Top Small Tourism Town with a population between 1,500 and 5,000.

They may be small, with a population under 1,500, but Winton is mighty in exceeding visitor expectations and took out Queensland Top Tiny Tourism Town for a third year in a row.

Magnetic Island's Adam Hinks from Aquascene was announced Queensland's best tour guide for 2024. The accolade recognises a tour guide who goes above and beyond in providing guests with an outstanding visitor experience.

State winners from the Top Tourism Town Awards and Top Tour Guide Award will go on to represent Queensland at the national awards held later in the year, where they have the chance to be crowned the best in Australia.

The Queensland Top Tourism Town and Top Tour Guide Awards are made possible through sponsorship by the Seven Network and Tourism and Events Queensland.

Quotes attributable to Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Brett Fraser:

"Congratulations to Queensland's top tourism towns, Roma, Airlie Beach, and Winton.

"It takes an entire community to create a wonderful and welcoming guest experience. While attractions may drive visitors to our regional destinations, it is the locals who create unforgettable memories.

"Well done to all the incredible finalists – tiny and big – for uniting in delivering exceptional holiday experiences. We applaud their remarkable efforts in helping to make Queensland a world-class destination.

"Congratulations to all the finalists in the Top Tour Guide Award and to this year's winner, Adam Hinks from Aquascene. We owe much to our state's tour guides, who captivate audiences and fill guests with a richer appreciation for Queensland."