Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School receives the Tourism Education and Training award at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards

3 March 2010

Tourism’s biggest night of the year, the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, brings together the best of Australia’s tourism and hospitality providers and recognises those who excel within the industry. The 2009 awards were held on February 26 in Hobart, Tasmania with the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, Federal Minister for Tourism in attendance.

The awards night is the culmination of a year’s dedication and effort to provide the best services, attractions and facilities to the 5.6m visitors arriving into Australia during 2009 . Hosted by the National Tourism Alliance the award categories include attractions and accommodation but also education, tourism services and tourism marketing.

Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School was honoured to win the Tourism and Education Training award. The School was nominated for the Australian Tourism Awards after winning the Gold award for Tourism and Education Training at the New South Wales Tourism Awards in November last year. Blue Mountains is a leading provider of hotel and resort management education in New South Wales and Australia with over 2500 graduates working in senior management positions around the world.

“This is a remarkable achievement for all the faculty, staff and students of the School. To win such a prestigious award at a national level is a great honour and we are proud of such an accomplishment. We have worked hard in the last year to continually improve what we offer our students and being recognised after successfully completing the Australian Universities Quality Agency audit is a fantastic reward to all involved. It is also an accolade for the Australian International Hotel School (AIHS) in Canberra as AIHS is the sister school to Blue Mountains. ” said Mr. Guy Bentley, Chief Executive Officer.

To win an award demonstrates the Schools commitment to meet award criteria such as innovation, sustainability, academic rigour and building active relationships with the tourism industry.

The finalists included Canberra Institute of Technology, Challenger TAFE, Griffith University, University of South Australia, SkyCity Darwin, Holmesglen, Eco and Adventure Guide Training. Mr. Bentley continued “to see a range of quality education providers being nominated demonstrated the strength of tourism and hospitality education in Australia and we congratulate them on being recognised as leaders in their States”.

Recognition of the accolade has also been received by the wider industry with Melinda Larkin, Executive Officer (NSW) of the Australian Council for Private Education and training saying “All of you at the School have worked tirelessly. A big congratulations to you all”. Chairman of Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon Tourism, Mr. Randall Walker, congratulated the School and stated “The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School is a worthy winner delivering truly world class education and being a long time participant in and supporter of the regional tourism industry.”

“No doubt all of us at Blue Mountains will continue to strive for excellence in 2010 and hope to have the honour of being nominated again at both the State and National level” said Mr. Bentley.

For more information on Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, please visit www.hotelschool.com.au or call +61 2 9437 0300. Details of the awards can be viewed at www.tourismalliance.org.

ENDS

Media Contact:
Scott Noble
Marketing Manager
Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School
Phone: +61 2 9431 7919
Email: scott.noble@hotelschool.com.au
Australian International Hotel School CRICOS Provider No: 02697A
Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School CRICOS Provider No: 00911E