AusLeisure

Gold Coast theme park Dreamworld has been awarded the gold medal in the prestigious major tourist attraction category at the Queensland tourism awards.

Presented at a gala ceremony in Brisbane last night (22nd November) the win is a major boost for the park ahead of its peak summer holiday period and comes after a year in which Dreamworld hosted record crowds during the Big Brother reality television show's eviction parties.

The Woodford Folk Festival was named Queensland's best major event and the Xstrata Mount Isa Rodeo was awarded best boutique festival and event, beating the Cairns Amateurs Carnival and the Gold Coast's Blues on Broadbeach music festival.

The night was a celebration for Queensland's tourism industry which has rebounded from some lean years to post solid growth in 2013.

Tropical North Queensland dominated the awards, picking up 23 medals across 32 categories, while Brisbane surprised, winning 17 medals.

Gold medallists automatically qualify as finalists for next year's Australian tourism awards.

Meanwhile Luna Park Sydney has won the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions' (IAAPA) Brass Ring Award for Retail Excellence for Soft Goods in the category for amusement parks with less than one million annual visitors.

Presented at the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 in Orlando, Florida, USA, the awared is Luna Park Sydney's fourth Brass Ring in four years.

However, Luna Park Sydney was the only Australian attraction to receive an award at a lean awards ceremony for Australian attractions. 

1st October 2013 - DREAMWORLD TO INTRODUCE NEW INDIGENOUS THEMED ‘WORLD’ IN DECEMBER 

26th August 2013 - DREAMWORLD LAUNCHES MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR NEW HORROR ATTRACTION 

13th June 2012 - DREAMWORLD LOOKS TO ADDED VALUE WITH ANNUAL PASS

15th December 2011 - DREAMWORLD CELEBRATES 30TH BIRTHDAY 

15th September 2011 - HANDLER BITTEN BY TIGER AT DREAMWORLD

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