The Greater Shepparton Visitor Centre has been recognised with silver in the Visitor Information Servicing category at the 2024 Victorian Tourism Awards.
The awards ceremony, held at Crown’s Palladium on November 21, saw several regional successes celebrated.
Warrnambool Visitor Information Centre secured gold in the same category, with Phillip Island and Bass Coast Visitor Information Centre Network rounding out the podium with bronze.
Greater Shepparton City Council was also recognised as a finalist in the highly competitive Local Government category, competing alongside seven other finalists.
“Congratulations to our dedicated staff that are constantly looking for opportunities to raise the profile of Shepparton and Goulburn Valley as a tourist destination,” City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali said.
“We are incredibly proud of our Greater Shepparton visitor team and volunteers who go above and beyond every day to service thousands of visitors annually and this is very well-deserved recognition for the work they do to make every visitor’s experience so memorable.”
The recognition follows an extensive year-long application and judging process.
Notable local initiatives included campaigns such as Home for the Holidays, the TAC Pause Stop premium location and Cup of Shepp & GV.
The visitor centre also engaged visitors with activities such as the T-rex photo opportunity, smoothie bikes, various major event pop-ups and participation in the Top Tourism Town Awards.
These efforts highlighted Shepparton’s offerings as a tourist destination.
The Goulburn Valley enjoyed several achievements, including Go Adventure Nagambie claiming gold twice, winning in both the Adventure Tourism and Tourism Retail, Hire and Services categories for the second consecutive year.
Making an impressive debut in the competition, Tastes of the Goulburn earned bronze in the Festivals and Events category, sharing the spotlight with Port Fairy Folk Festival (gold) and Adventure Park Geelong’s Winter Glow Festival (silver).
The Victorian Tourism Awards, organised yearly by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council for the past 37 years, “showcase the state’s leaders in tourism excellence”, according to their website.
“This award reflects the wonderful work that council, through the Visitor Economy team and the destination brand Shepparton & Goulburn Valley, have undertaken to support tourism businesses in the region,” Cr Sali said.