While we are trying hard to navigate our way through to the other side of bushfires, storms and COVID-19, this year will continue to be filled with challenges that will take our energy and focus to survive and support industry in the best way we can.
Due to this, we have made the very difficult decision not to proceed with conducting the 2020 Canberra Region Tourism Awards. This is the first time in the 30+ years of the Awards that the program and event will not be delivered.
We want to express our sincere gratitude to the Canberra Region Tourism Awards partners, sponsors, judges, mentors, and all those involved in this year-long program. We thank you for your ongoing commitment and support and look forward to working with you on the 2021 Canberra Region Tourism Awards.
You may have noticed NCAA had already pivoted our business and will look to run activities throughout 2020 to continue to support businesses by using the awards framework and other business tools toward preparing for 2021. We are keeping the option open to hold some kind of event in place of the Canberra Region Awards night, with date, place and format yet to be discussed. This will be dependent on social distancing regulations at the time.
At the same time our national organisation, the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) reached the same conclusion early in May that they would not be moving forward with the Australia Tourism Awards in 2020. The national event was planned for March 2021 on the Sunshine Coast. It is the hope and expectation that it will be back on the Sunshine Coast for the following year.
As an industry we are so proud of the effort all our entrants make in the program each year, and the sense of achievement and pride their success in the program gives their fellow operators. Be assured, the Canberra Region Tourism Awards will be back in 2021, when hopefully we have a more certain industry outlook.