The Bundaberg Rum Distillery was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 2021 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards on March 18, after its Gold win in the Tourism Wineries, Distilleries, and Breweries category for the third consecutive year.

2022 marks the first year the Queensland icon was nominated at the national event in two categories, as it was also a finalist for Australia’s Best Tourist Attraction.

Bundaberg Rum Distillery Marketing & Experience Manager Duncan Littler (above) said: “The Bundaberg Rum team are delighted to be recognised as we achieve Hall of Fame status at a national level for the first time in our history. To take away a Gold win at the Australian Tourism Awards for the third-year running is testament to the combined effort of our staff’s unwavering support and Bundy’s enduring legacy of simple times with great home-grown rum.”

This year’s Qantas Australian Tourism Awards Ceremony was held in Bundy’s home state of Queensland at the Sunshine Coast Convention Centre.

“To have this event held in our native Queensland makes this award win even more special, and we hope inspires many more international and national visitors to explore all we have to offer here in our own backyard. Bundy proudly continues to welcome guests through our famous Distillery doors for the experience of a lifetime,” Littler added.

Heifer Station Wines in Orange took out Silver in the Tourism Wineries, Distilleries, and Breweries category, while Bronze went to Seppeltsfield Wines in the Barossa Valley.

“We are so proud to represent the Orange region and NSW at the awards!,” Heifer Station said.

“We’re thrilled to be recognised at the 2021 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards,” Seppeltsfield said. “A huge thank you and congratulations to our wonderful team and all our Estate partners for their dedication and hard work – it really does take a village!”

Overall there were 75 awards presented across 25 categories at the 2021 Australian Tourism Awards.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk congratulated the latest Awards recipients.

“The Australian Tourism Awards is a celebration of adaptability and creativity across the tourism industry, and we’re proud to have welcomed so many industry leaders and innovators to Queensland’s spectacular Sunshine Coast for the Awards this year,” Premier Palaszczuk said.

“It’s been a joy to celebrate a sector that has shown determination and innovation in the face of a global pandemic.

“Pre-pandemic, Queensland’s tourism industry alone was worth around $28 billion and employed more than 234,000. I’m grateful to all the recipients and nominees who have, and who will continue to contribute to our economic recovery from the pandemic and beyond.”

Qantas Group Chief Customer Office Stephanie Tully said: “As the national carrier, we’re delighted to be celebrating and championing the best of the industry after a particularly tough two years for Australian tourism.

“We’ve seen travel demand rebound strongly this year and we’re really excited to help travellers from home and abroad rediscover this amazing country and support Australian tourism operators to get back to doing what they do best.”

Daniel Gschwind, Chair of the Australian Tourism Awards said that it is testament to the commitment of Australian tourism operators who continue to deliver excellent experiences with sheer passion and commitment throughout the challenges.

“The businesses that are here tonight have led the way in reimagining their products so they can continue to provide quality visitor experiences throughout the pandemic. With our open borders and international tourism resuming, tonight is a timely reminder of the vast range of exceptional tourism products and services available and to focus on a strong tourism future for Australia” said Gschwind.

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