Empire Hotel takes gold at Queensland Tourism Awards
Posted on November 11th, 2019
Southern Great Barrier Reef tourism operators, including our impressive Empire Apartment Hotel, have demonstrated that our iconic destination is still a tourism favourite, taking home six accolades at the 35th annual Queensland Tourism Awards.
With a total of 83 awards presented across 28 categories, the team at Empire took out GOLD for ‘Deluxe Accommodation’ and SILVER for ‘Business Event Venues’ at the prestigious event held on Friday 9th November at Novotel Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast.
Accepting the award in front of a thousand seat audience, Empire Apartment Hotel Managing Director, Grant Cassidy said that being awarded the best in Queensland for another consecutive year is an incredible acknowledgment of the world-class product and service that their team deliver every day in Rockhampton. “I would like to congratulate my team and thank each one of them for their commitment on consistently delivering a product so our guests can experience Rockhampton like they’ve never seen it before.”
Since opening just five years ago in December 2014, Empire Apartment Hotel and Conference Centre has now been awarded eight (8) Queensland Tourism Awards!
Adding to a list of impressive accolades, the Empire has received a Queensland Tourism Award every year since opening in December 2014:
- 2019: Gold for ‘Deluxe Accommodation’ and Silver for ‘Business Event Venue’
- 2018: Gold for ‘Deluxe Accommodation’ and Silver for ‘Business Event Venue’
- 2017: Gold for ‘Business Event Venue’ and Silver for ‘Deluxe Accommodation’
- 2016: Silver for ‘Deluxe Accommodation’
- 2015: Gold for the best ‘New Tourism Business’
The 13 storey $65 million project caters for the business and leisure tourism market with 138 rooms in total. In the last 12 months, more than 50,000 guests have enjoyed the ‘Empire Experience’.
Standing tall in the heart of the CBD Riverfront Dining Precinct, the Empire boasts a 120 person capacity conference room, a porte-cochère entrance into our lounge foyer with 24 hour reception, a rooftop tropical pool and gymnasium, secure underground parking, and three onsite dining options.
Capricorn Enterprise chief executive Mary Carroll joined the Empire team in celebrating their success.
“This is an extraordinary achievement and we are all so very proud of the team at Empire Apartment Hotel for their dedication to ensuring the visitor experience to Rockhampton and the greater region is second to none,” said Mary.
“As a Platinum Member of Capricorn Enterprise, the team at Empire Apartment Hotel get involved in every opportunity made available to the tourism sector in industry development, partnerships and collaboration and the results speak for themselves.”
As a Gold winner, Empire Apartment Hotel will automatically compete in the National Tourism Awards in the Deluxe Accommodation category early in the new year.
This is the second consecutive year that Empire has won the Deluxe Accommodation category in Queensland, and if it wins again in 2020, will enter the Queensland Hall of Fame for three consecutive wins!
On behalf of Capricorn Enterprise, we sincerely congratulate all Gold and Silver winners in the greater Southern Great Barrier Reef destination for their achievements at the 2019 Queensland Tourism Awards!
- Deluxe Accommodation – GOLD – Empire Apartment Hotel
- The Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism – GOLD – Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort (SILVER – Fun Over Fifty)
- Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services – GOLD – The Windmill Café Bargara
- Tourism Wineries, Distilleries and Breweries – GOLD – Bundaberg Rum Visitor Experience
- Cultural Tourism – SILVER – Fun Over Fifty
- Business Event Venues – SILVER – Empire Apartment Hotel Conference Centre
- Tourist Attractions – SILVER – Bundaberg Rum Visitor Experience
CLICK HERE to view the full list of twenty-eight Qld Tourism Award Categories and all winners.
