Winners of the 2024 Australian Small Business Champion Awards have been crowned.
Travengers AU took the top prize in the Tourism category. The small business, based in Manly, NSW, connects young autistic and neurodivergent adults across Australia through supported social groups and travel.
Sonia Jones Travel of Ashgrove in Queensland was named the 2024 Travel Agency category winner.
The 2024 Award for Migration Services was won by Simona Migration, based in Robina, Queensland.
The winners were announced at the Awards’ National Presentation Evening Gala Events, which took place over two nights – Friday and Saturday, 12-13 April 2024—at Sydney’s The Star. Each of this year’s Champions received a customised statuette trophy and certificate and gained invaluable kudos as a nationally recognised industry leader.
The only recognition awards programme that celebrates the achievements and considerable economic, social and cultural contribution of today’s 2.5 million small business operators across the country, the Awards specifically highlight the finest small businesses in the retail, services, and manufacturing industries.
This year marks the 26th consecutive year of the Australian Small Business Champion Awards and its most successful year, with more entries received this year than any prior year.
“This year’s Awards saw more than 5,500 small business submissions from cities as well as rural, regional and suburban towns in every Australian state and territory,” said Steve Loe, Awards Founder and Managing Director of Precedent Productions, which coordinates the Australian Small Business Champion Awards.
“This year’s submissions spoke volumes of the resilience of Australia’s small business sector, which is enduring what may be the toughest period in recent memory. There are a number of challenges associated with increased expenses and operating costs, staff hiring, productivity, and the overall ongoing high cost of living. Of course, some in the travel industry are also still enduring the impacts of COVID-19.
“Now more than ever, it is time to shine a spotlight on Australia’s hardworking small businesspeople and recognise their invaluable contributions to their communities and to the nation as a whole.
“Operating a small business today requires steadfast commitment, leadership, savviness, creativity, people skills, vision, social consciousness and a spirited drive – all elements of success that our independent judging panel pinpointed as among the critical reasons for their selections of this year’s Champions.
“I am blown away by the growth of this programme and its intensifying spotlight on the most deserving small business operators, who valiantly serve their communities and encourage us all to strive for success with ample drive, determination and fortitude,” added Mr Loe.
Hosted by popular Nine presenter and journalist Jayne Azzopardi and attended by more than 2000 small businesspeople, this year’s National Presentation Gala featured star-studded entertainment fitting to the Champion Awards’ most significant year in over a quarter of a century. Dami Im, Harrison Craig, Johnny Manuel and Stefanie Jones were among the red-carpet event’s headline stage acts.
The Awards were supported by Presenting Partner the Commonwealth Bank, Major Partners Nine Ad Manager, NOVA Employment, Castaway Forecasting, Big Clean, Xcllusive Business Sales and Boa.
