Awards
Whitsunday Escape has won 29 tourism awards since 2004, at regional, state and national level. Our most recent win was Gold for Unique Accommodation at the 2025 Queensland Tourism Awards, and in 2026 we are a finalist again at both the Whitsunday and Queensland Tourism Awards.
Awards are judged on what guests actually experience. For you, that means a modern, well-kept catamaran, a thorough briefing before you leave, and a local team on the radio throughout your charter. It’s how we help everyday adventurers skipper the Whitsundays with confidence, no boat licence needed.
Australian Tourism Awards
We have been named among Australia’s BEST tourism operators at the Australian Tourism Awards, with Gold for Unique Accommodation in 2013, Silver in 2018 and Highly Commended in 2025.
Queensland Tourism Awards
We have won multiple Queensland Tourism Awards since 2004, including Gold for Unique Accommodation in 2013, 2018 and 2025. Unique Accommodation recognises that on a Whitsunday Escape charter, your boat is your private floating holiday home.
Whitsunday Tourism Awards
We are proud to have received Gold for Bareboating in 2026. As of 2025, the local Whitsunday Tourism Awards are now focused on online platform reviews. Prior to this Whitsunday Escape has won over 10 Whitsunday Tourism Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Rated by our guests
- Best of Queensland Experiences: Gold tier in 2026, and recognised every year since the program launched. Tourism and Events Queensland assesses operators on verified customer reviews and industry standards.
- Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice: awarded every year since 2020, including 2026. The award goes to the top 10% of businesses on Tripadvisor, based on 12 months of guest reviews. Before 2020 we held the Certificate of Excellence, every year from 2015.
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What our awards mean for your charter
- Freedom: choose your own route, anchor in secluded bays and set your own schedule across the Whitsundays’ 74 islands.
- Safety: a full pre-departure briefing, radio support from our base and full safety gear on every boat.
- Confidence: hands-on navigation training turns boating enthusiasts into capable captains. No licence or sailing experience needed.
- Excellence: a meticulously maintained fleet of premium catamarans.
- People-centric: personal handovers and local knowledge from a team who has called the Whitsundays home for decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many awards has Whitsunday Escape won? 29 tourism awards since 2004 across the Australian, Queensland and Whitsunday Tourism Awards, plus Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice every year since 2020.
What did Whitsunday Escape win most recently? Gold for Bareboating at the 2026 Whitsunday Tourism Awards and Gold for Unique Accommodation at the 2025 Queensland Tourism Awards.
Why do bareboat charters win Unique Accommodation awards? On a bareboat charter your catamaran is your accommodation. You sleep aboard, cook aboard and wake up in a different anchorage each morning.
Is Whitsunday Escape an accredited tourism business? Yes. We hold Quality Tourism accreditation, ECO Certification and Boating Industry Association accreditation.