Kimberley tourism operators clean up at State awards

Carly LadenBroome Advertiser
Camera IconHorizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures won three awards. Credit: The West Australian, Stephen Scourfield The West Australian

Kimberley-based tourism operators shined bright on the State stage at the 2018 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards, with Broome’s Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures stealing the show.

The family-owned and operated company was inducted into the WA Tourism Hall of Fame in two categories — Adventure Tourism and Unique Accommodation.

The induction sees Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures join the likes of Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa, Willie Creek Pearls, Argyle Diamond Ord Valley Muster and El Questro Wilderness Retreat as WA Tourism Hall of Famers.

The tourism operator is no stranger to the WA Tourism Awards, having previously won the Sir David Brand Award for Tourism last year and Gold medals in Adventure Tourism and Unique Accommodation for the past three years.

Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures owner Troy Thomas said the excitement of being inducted into the Hall of Fame is still sinking in.

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“Everyone at Horizontal Falls doesn’t mind keeping the hard yards going because it helps us all see the success of the business attracting so many people and winning awards like this,” he said.

“It’s nice to see people really appreciate the quality of our product through these awards and of course getting into the Hall of Fame.

“We always offer a unique experience with the seaplane being able to land on the water, we’re able to fly lower than any operator and we are also the only shark-cage operators approved in WA.

“The Horizontal Hotel is totally self-sufficient — it sits out there in the Falls the whole year, it never comes back to Broome.

“It’s basically a floating hotel which I’m sure has impressed a lot of our visitors.”

Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures also picked up three Gold medals during the awards ceremony on Saturday, November 10, in the Tourist Attractions, Unique Accommodation and Adventure Tourism categories.

As Gold medal winners, Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures automatically qualifies for the Australian Tourism Awards, which will be held in Launceston, Tasmania next year.

Mr Thomas said he hopes to repeat the WA success on a national scale and potentially get an Australian Tourism Hall of Fame induction.

“The whole crew will be travelling down to Tassie and I’m sure they’ll pack an extra jacket or two,” he said.

“Winning a couple of awards at the national awards has become a new goal for us since we have achieved so much here in WA.”

Other West Kimberley-based award winners included Kimberley Quest, Pearl Luggers by Willie Creek Pearls, Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, Narlija Cultural Tours, Cocos Beach Bungalows, Cable Beach Club Resort and Spa, and the Shinju Matsuri festival.

The East Kimberley also enjoyed success with Kununurra Country Club Resort, Kimberleyland Waterfront Holiday Park, Faraway Bay and Kimberley Spirit Tours guide Scott Connell winners.

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