Voting has been launched for the 2015 Douglas Business and Tourism Awards, following a record-breaking level of participation in last year.

Online voting for the awards is now open and available on ONLINE, with customers able to submit votes for any business in Douglas Shire they feel deserves recognition.

Official physical voting forms for the awards will be launched alongside Issue 17 of PORT DOUGLAS Magazine.

Customers will be able to rate businesses (and individual businesspeople and operators) on product, customer service and other aspects, and will vote across categories including Best Restaurant, Best Tourism Product and Best Events and Entertainment.

Panel Awards will include the Port Douglas Magazine Editor’s Choice Award for Excellence, the Douglas Chamber of Commerce’s Young Acheiver’s Award, the Cairns Chamber of Commerce Douglas Businessperson of the Year Award, the Douglas Inc Innovations and Economic Development Award, the Lady Diane Cilento Excellence in Art Award, the Mackay Sugar Douglas Business Awards Hall of Fame and the Newsport’s Most Outstanding Sporting Team of the Year Award.

The Business and Tourism Awards’s Gala Awards Night traditionally held at Port Douglas Sheraton Mirage's Glade Pavilion is a fixture on Douglas Shire’s business community’s calendar, giving operators a chance to let their hair down.

Mackay Sugar has signed a two-year deal to be a major corporate sponsor of the Awards.

Newsport Publishing managing director Sam Cullen said the awards were a chance both for customers to make their desires known and for businesses operators and staff to be rewarded for their efforts.

“One thing about online voting last year is that businesses were able to use social media to contact their databases and mailing lists and ask ‘do you think we’ve done a good job?’,” he said.

“The customer-based voting system used for the Douglas Business Awards is unique in this region - businesses don’t have to enter so a lot of them don’t even know they are being voted for, which is great to see when a business gets recognition for the effort they are just putting in day-to-day.

“I think the awards have become quite prestigious - we see winners proudly displaying their framed certificates in their offices, restaurants, shop windows, all around the place.”

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VOTING ONLINE

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