Contributed
FRIDAY night was a night to celebrate for the team from Ocean Rafting, who proudly brought home two gold awards at the 38th annual Queensland Tourism Awards, held in Cairns at the state’s tourism industry’s night of nights.
Winning back-to-back gold in the highly contested categories of Adventure Tourism and Major Tour and Transport Operators, Ocean Rafting joined a contingent of Whitsunday operators at the gala event which showcased Queensland’s exceptional tourism offerings, with 184 nominations in 31 award categories.
Owners Peter and Jan Claxton attended the ceremony, representing their team and the three generations of family working in the business.
“It certainly was a night for the Whitsundays to celebrate with so many of our region’s tourism operators being acknowledged for offering some of Queensland’s best tourism experiences. As a destination, we should be very proud of the unforgettable experiences on offer, which were recognised and celebrated on the night,” Jan said.
“Personally, we are so very proud of these awards, our product, and our incredible team. Being family owned and operated, we all work very closely, and our staff are so passionate and invested in offering the experience of a lifetime.
“Everyone comes together to make the magic happen, from the moment they are picked up, out on the Whitsunday waters and up in the sky flying over the reef and islands, through to when they are dropped off at the end of the day.
“We are incredibly lucky to offer unique experiences for guests which no one else can, and they are constantly evolving and growing. Our staff play such a big part in all of this and absolutely love what they do and the beautiful natural playgrounds they visit every day, so of course these awards are for everyone in our team.
“After 26 years of operations, we have created experiences that showcase the best of the Whitsundays and we continue to grow and streamline each year, with more exciting developments planned for 2024.
“The support we have received over the years from our industry, the Whitsunday community, and of course our guests, is something we will continue to be grateful for,” Jan said.
“The Whitsundays should feel very proud and of course we extend a huge congratulations to all the other winners, finalists and entrants.”
This past year, Peter and Jan once again circled back to Peter’s aviation roots, adding a second plane to their fleet of vessels and planes, as well as a new travel shop and extensive work in the environmental sector.
Ocean Rafting’s win follows recent success at the Whitsunday Tourism Awards, where they won the same categories, in addition to the consumer-voted People’s Choice Experiences Award. They will now join other Whitsunday operators and head to Darwin, in March 2024, to represent Queensland at the Australian Tourism Awards.
Ocean Rafting is recognised as a ‘Best of Queensland Experience’ and a Quality Tourism Accredited Business under the national quality tourism framework.
Additionally, Ocean Rafting is the recipient of a TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award for being in the top 10 per cent of attractions worldwide every year, since 2012, and a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best award winner in the Top one per cent of Tourism Businesses around the world and Top 10 Experiences in Australia.
Ocean Rafting offers two exciting day tour adventures, the Northern Exposure and Southern Lights, with an exhilarating ride to Whitehaven Beach, the ultimate access to Hill Inlet and special snorkelling sites, as well as the Fly and Raft package, 60-minute scenic flights, a range of adventure packages, charter options and the Reef Seeker environmental educational program.
For more information phone 07 4946 6848 or visit www.oceanrafting.com.au.
