The Frankston Visitor Information Centre has again taken out top honours at the QANTAS Australian Tourism Awards held 2015.
Frankston Visitor Information Centre is the first one of its kind to be inducted into the national tourism hall of fame.
The visitor centre based near Frankston pier has won the Australian Tourism Awards gold award for visitor information and services for the third year in a row.
The induction in Adelaide on Friday 10 April followed the Frankston centre entering the Victorian hall of fame after three consecutive wins in the state awards.
The wins mean that the centre can no longer enter the awards, but it plans to transport its winning model of operating to visitor centres across.
The Enchanted Maze Garden at Arthurs Seat won a gold award in the Adventure Tourism category for its tree surfing while silver awards went to the Green Olive, Red Hill (Food Tourism category) and Stillwater at Crittenden (Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services).
Other Mornington Peninsula tourism operators to make the national finals were Searoad Ferries, Wine Food Farmgate, Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park and Peninsula Hot Springs.
“They pride themselves on providing up-to-date information about our region to visitors, accessible services that cater to all abilities and communication levels and high quality local produce and merchandise,”
Recognition at the Australian Tourism Awards follows a recent entry into the Victorian Tourism Hall of Fame after winning a Gold Medal for the third year in a row, at the RACV 2014 Victorian Tourism Awards. The Frankston Visitor Information Centre cannot participate in future awards, but now looks forward to supporting other Visitor Information Centres across Australia to achieve the high standard set and emulate the winning Frankston model.
Staff at the Frankston information centre are trained in “effective communications” and the centre itself has communications boards, an iPad with language translators, universally recognised symbols and appropriate fonts. The centre is accessible for visitors with prams, wheelchairs and guide dogs.
“Working closely with all operators across Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula to promote the entire region has proven to us that working collaboratively yields a better result for both the operators and visitors,” Frankston mayor Cr Sandra Mayer said.