Celebrating South Australia's Tourism Champions at the Tourism Town Awards 2026

Last month, Adelaide Style Accommodation was proud to attend the South Australian Tourism Conference, where one of the highlights was the Tourism Town Awards networking evening—a celebration recognising the outstanding towns, tourism operators and people who help make South Australia such a remarkable place to visit.

As a Tourism Town Awards judge, it was a privilege to witness firsthand the excitement, pride and genuine emotion as this year's winners were announced. Behind every nomination is a community, a team of passionate people and countless hours dedicated to creating memorable visitor experiences.

Congratulations to the 2026 winners

🏆 Top Tourism Town – Tanunda

🏆 Small Tourism Town – Melrose

🏆 People's Choice Tourism Town – Melrose

🏆 Hello SA Top Tour Guide Award – Scott Nugent from Experience Co.

Congratulations not only to the winners but to every town and individual who entered the awards. Taking the time to participate demonstrates a commitment to excellence, innovation and continuous improvement—qualities that benefit visitors and local communities alike.

Why these awards matter

The Tourism Town Awards celebrate much more than beautiful destinations. They recognise collaboration, community pride, visitor experiences, sustainability and the dedication of the people who work behind the scenes to welcome visitors to South Australia.

From vibrant regional communities to passionate tour guides and local tourism operators, these awards showcase the diversity and quality of experiences available across our state.

As someone involved in judging, it was inspiring to see the effort each town invested in sharing its story and highlighting what makes it unique.

Thank you

A heartfelt thank you to TICSA (Tourism Industry Council South Australia) for once again delivering an outstanding South Australian Tourism Conference and providing valuable opportunities for learning, collaboration and celebrating excellence across our industry.

Thank you also to Hello SA, the event sponsors, and Hayley and Lauren from Adelady, whose warmth, enthusiasm and professionalism made the awards evening an enjoyable celebration for everyone in attendance.

Watch the highlights

For those unable to attend, we've created a highlights video capturing some of the award presentations, announcements and atmosphere from the evening. We hope it offers an insight into why these awards are so highly regarded and celebrates the people and communities helping shape South Australia's tourism future.

▶ Watch the video HERE

At Adelaide Style Accommodation, we're proud to support South Australia's tourism industry and encourage our guests to look beyond Adelaide and discover the incredible regions, towns and experiences our state has to offer. Every journey contributes to the success of local communities, and together we continue building an even stronger visitor economy.

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