Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia has taken out three major wins at the NT Hospitality Awards held last night in Darwin.
CEO, Matthew Cameron-Smith was on hand to collect the awards for:
- Best Tourism Initiative – Ayers Rock Resort
- Best Superior Accommodation – Sails in the Desert Hotel
- Apprentice/Trainee of the Year – Marcellus Ah Kit – Sails Kitchen
Cameron-Smith said of the wins “The three awards represent best in class industry recognition of the Ayers Rock Resort team who, despite the challenges posed to them, have gone above and beyond to consistently deliver a great experience to our guests as part of our post COVID-19 recovery.”
“Marcellus is a shining example of this, with a dedication to following his passion and developing his career with the Resort” continued Cameron-Smith. “He came to us in 2017 with no experience in hospitality and proceeded to undertake his Certificate III in Hospitality at our National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA). Through a hands-on approach working alongside our wonderful F&B teams, he has now been inspired to progress to a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery.”
Marcellus works at Sails in the Desert which took out the Superior Accommodation award following an extensive refurbishment of the guest accommodation and public spaces in 2020 during the temporary closure of the hotel during COVID lockdown.
The judging committee also recognised the Resort as a whole for providing a range of high-quality accommodation options, dining and diverse touring experiences which reflect the cultural significance of the region.
Paul Kirby minister for employment and training and Matthew Cameron-Smith
“It’s rewarding to see such high recognition for our team who are working hard to welcome guests to the cultural and spiritual heart of Australia and deliver memorable experiences for them” said Cameron-Smith.
