by Anthony Hayes
CEO, Tourism Queensland

I need to do something I almost never do...I want to stop for a moment and blow the TQ trumpet. I am pleased to announce that over the weekend Tourism Queensland was awarded ‘Best National Tourist Office’ for the fourth year running at the 2011 Australia Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) National Travel Industry Awards.

The award is wonderful recognition for the TQ team and the Queensland tourism industry after the rough start to the year we’ve all had.

To date 2011 has been truly awful. It has been really tough. But this award provides some comfort that our efforts have paid off in reinforcing to the world that Nothing Beats Queensland as Australia’s favourite holiday destination.

I would like to thank the AFTA network of travel agents and industry suppliers for their ongoing support in helping restore confidence in Queensland as a destination and helping to drive bookings at a time when we’ve needed it most. AFTA have been amazing.

To be named the leading state tourism organisation for the fourth year running is testament to the team’s hard work during the past year and I couldn’t be more proud. We are not out of the woods yet, I know that, but hopefully we are now heading in the right direction toward recovery.

Acknowledgement from our industry peers is one of the greatest honours we can receive.