The Awards Process

Step 1: Nominate Your Business and Create Your Voting Profile

Submit your nomination and create your voting profile by selecting your category and completing the mandatory fields. You can then save your progress and come back to it at any time to complete your submission before September 13th.

Step 2: Public Voting Opens

Voting Opens: 1 July 2026
Voting Closes: 4 October 2026

Your voting profile allows customers, supporters, industry colleagues and the public to vote for your business throughout the voting period.

Step 3: Complete Your Submission

The Award Submission Questions do not need to be completed when submitting your nomination. However, to activate your voting profile, the nomination details and the first five submission questions must be completed.

The remaining submission questions can be completed and updated right up until 13 September 2026.

You can log in and update your entry at any time, including:

• Submission responses
• Business information
• Images and logos
• Contact details
• Supporting content

Following your nomination, you will receive a confirmation email containing your login details and instructions for accessing your profile.

Choosing Your Categories

Businesses may enter as many categories as they wish.

However, it is important to think strategically. Public votes contribute to your final score, so entering multiple categories means you will need to actively encourage voting across each category you enter.

Australia and New Zealand Award Categories

• Best Travel Agent
• Best Night Out 
• Best Adventure Destination 
• Best Transport
• Best Accommodation 
• Best Multi-Day Tour/Activity
• Best Day Tour/Activity 
• Cultural Award 
• Eco-Tourism Award 
• Innovation Award
• Best Newcomer
• Industry Legend Award
• Lifetime Achievement Award
• People’s Choice Award

How Judging Works

Each category is assessed by three independent judges with extensive tourism and industry experience.

Public voting is weighted to account for the size of the business, ensuring smaller operators remain competitive and the awards remain fair and balanced.

Your final score is made up of:

• 70% Judging Score. Based on your responses to the Award Submission Questions.

• 30% Public Voting Score. Based on votes received during the public voting period.

Because the judging component represents the majority of your final score, we strongly encourage all nominees to invest time in completing thoughtful and comprehensive submission responses.

The strongest entries are those that combine a quality submission with an active voting campaign.

View full Terms and Conditions here.