The Alice Springs Airport Tourism Central Australia Awards were held on Saturday 7 October, 2017. Minister Dale Wakefield joined guests for a colourful, fun-filled night celebrating the incredible achievements of the Central Australian tourism industry over the last year. Guests were entertained by Drum Atweme, The Boney Maronies and Wolfpack Amadeus, and the evening was emceed by the witty and hilarious Dan and Tom Falzon from Earth Sanctuary. Guests were also treated to the brand new beer from Earth Sanctuary, the Red Centre Devil Lager.
2017 Award Winners
Tourism Central Australia Young Achiever Award 
Christopher Tannock (Voyages Ayers Rock Resort)
Alice Springs Airport New Tourism Innovation Award
Uluru Fork & View (SEIT Outback Australia and ATG Downunder)
Centralian Advocate Festivals & Events Award
Field of Light (Voyages Ayers Rock Resort)
CAAMA Small Tourism Operator Award
Trek Larapinta
Yubu Napa Large Tourism Operator Award
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services Award
Barra on Todd Restaurant & Bar (Mercure Alice Springs Resort)
Centrecorp Indigenous Tourism Award
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
New Tourism Business Award
Uluru Segway Tours
Voyages Ayers Rock Resort Industry Achiever Award
Kathy Graham (SEIT Outback Australia)
Barry Bucholtz Award for Excellence
The winner of this prestigious award was selected by the board of Tourism Central Australia and recognises a lifetime of dedication and contributions to the Central Australian tourism industry. The 2017 Barry Bucholtz Award was awarded posthumously to Noel Fullerton.
Noel may have passed away but his legacy and influence continue to impact the Central Australian tourism industry. As the founder and driving force behind the Alice Springs Camel Cup, Noel was affectionately known as the 'Camel King' and the grandfather of the camel industry in Australia. Noel and his camels were iconic and images of them were used in official tourism promotions, postcards, and brochures to promote the destination. He was also the subject of many documentaries and countless feature articles. However, his biggest legacy is the role that he played in imparting his skills and knowledge to other cameleers. Many cameleers considered Noel to be their inspiration, mentor and friend.
Program
For more details about the awards, download the program.
Photography
Joyce Van Dijk was the official photographer of the 2017 Alice Springs Airport Tourism Central Australia Awards. There was also a Stompbox photo booth for guests to have fun with. If you were a guest and would like to request a photo, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Thank you to our sponsors
Thank you to all our amazing sponsors who have supported this event. Some sponsors have been with us from the very beginning; others have joined us for the first time in 2017. This is a very important event for our tourism industry in Central Australia and it would not be possible without the generous contributions of our sponsors.
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Event Supporters
