The past 3 months have registered more than 40,000 votes cast across 20 categories for the OAWK  annual awards.

“The family travel market is an important and growing one, particularly with the trend to multi-generational holidays and post-babymoons, and our annual Best of Family Travel Awards provide a valuable opportunity for that market to have their say.  Every year we see firm family favourites emerge, but we also gain insight into the shifts and emerging trends in family holidays, reflected in the voting,” says publisher Elisa Elwin.

“Destinations like Queensland, Hawaii, Bali and Fiji are always well-represented in the votes and, of course, Disneyland and other fantastic theme parks in Australia and overseas are real wish-list destinations for families. This year we've canvassed the sentiments of Aussie families across everything from ski resorts and cruise lines, to cities, activities, camping spots and best holiday resorts for families with babies and toddlers in tow.”

Across Out & About with Kids' vast print and online audience, including digital subscribers and Facebook friends and followers, votes have been tallied for 20 key family holiday categories, both domestic and international, with Hawaii emerging as the Winner in the Best International Destination for Families category.

Paradise Resort Gold Coast takes out Best Hotel or Resort for Babies and Toddlers, with Malolo Island Resort named Best Pacific Islands Hotel or Resort.

Closer to home Queensland's Gold Coast comes up trumps for families, with SeaWorld Resort named the Best Australian Family Attraction, Paradise Resort Gold Coast takes out Best Hotel or Resort for Babies and Toddlers.

NSW scores big this year with a tie for Best Family Event between Vivid Sydney and Sydney New Yea Fireworks.  Dubbo takes out the gong for Best Regional Holiday Destination.

Perennial family favourite, the original Disneyland Park in Anaheim California, once again leads the Best International Family Attraction category, with its namesake hotel, The Disneyland Hotel, taking out top spot for the Best Family Hotel or Resort in USA.

The full list of Worthy Winners and Fabulous Finalists in Out & About with Kids' The Best of Family Travel Awards 2017 appears on the OAWK website 

http://outandaboutwithkids.com.au/

and in the Summer 2018 issue of the magazine  on-sale Wednesday, 20 December 2017.

Out & About with Kids “Best of Family Travel Awards 2017”

Best Animal Attraction in Australia

Winner:  Australia Zoo

Finalists

• Taronga Zoo
• Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo
• Melbourne Zoo
• Sea World Gold Coast
• Australian Reptile Park
• Werribee Open Range Zoo
• Mogo Zoo
• Featherdale Wildlife Park
• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
• Sydney Wildlife Zoo

Best Camping Spot in Australia

Winner: Fraser Island

Finalists

• Greenpatch, NSW
• Grampians, VIC
• Byron Bay, NSW
• Murray River, VIC
• Wilsons Promontory, VIC
• Innes National Park, SA
• Southwest Rocks, NSW
• Blue Mountains, NSW
• Batemans Bay, NSW

Best City in Australia

Winner: Sydney

Finalists

• Gold Coast
• Melbourne
• Brisbane
• Canberra

Best Holiday Park in Australia

Winner: BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort

Finalists

• NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Park Gold Coast
• NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Park Umina
• BIG4 North Star Holiday Park Hastings Point
• BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park Kiama
• Blue Dolphin Holiday Resort Yamba
• NRMA Lakeside Holiday Park - Narrabeen Lakes NSW
• Ingenia Holidays BIG4 Cairns Coconut Resort
• BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park
• BIG4 Adelaide Shores Holiday Park

Best Regional Holiday Destination

Winner: Dubbo, NSW

Finalists

• Red Centre, NT
• Cairns/Port Douglas, QLD
• Sunshine Coast, QLD
• Ballarat, VIC
• The Whitsundays, QLD
• The Murray, NSW & VIC
• NSW South Coast, NSW
• Hunter Valley, NSW
• Coffs Harbour, NSW
• Great Ocean Road, VIC
• Margaret River, SA
• Byron Bay, NSW
• Mudgee, NSW
• Blue Mountains, NSW

Best Family Attraction in Australia

Winner: Sea World

Finalists

• Movie World
• Dream World
• Australia Zoo
• Taronga Zoo
• Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast

Best Family Adventure Activity

Winner: Snorkelling/Diving the Great Barrier Reef

Finalists

• Skiing in the Snowy Mountains
• Exploring Uluru
• Camping
• Surfing

Best Family Event

Winner: Tie between Vivid Sydney and Sydney NYE Fireworks

Tie between Vivid Sydney and Sydney NYE Fireworks

Finalists

• AFL Game
• Australia Day
• Sydney Royal Easter Show

 

Best Family Cruise Line

Winner: P&O Cruise Line

Finalists

• Carnival Cruises
• Royal Caribbean
• Disney Cruise
• Princess Cruises

Best Family Hotel or Resort

Winner: Sea World Resort Gold Coast

 

Finalists

• Paradise Resort Gold Coast
• Hamilton Island Resort
• Novotel Coffs Harbour
• Crowne Plaza Terrigal
• Novotel Twin Waters Resort, Sunshine Coast

 

Best Family Resort in Asia

Winner: Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

Finalists

• Tokyo Disneyland Hotel
• Club Med Bali
• Hard Rock Hotel Bali
• Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket
• Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort
• Festive Hotel, Resorts World Sentosa

 

Best Family Hotel or Resort in USA

Winner: Disneyland Hotel Anaheim

 

Finalists

• Aulani A Disney Resort & Spa
• Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Walt Disney World Resort, Florida
• Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Waikiki Beach Walk
• Great Wolf Lodge
• Kiahuna Plantation Resort Kauai by Outrigger

 

Best Family Resort in the Pacific Islands

Winner: Malolo Island Resort

 

Finalists

• Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort
• Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa, Cook Islands
• Warwick Le Lagon, Vanuatu
• Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey's Resort

 

Best Resort for Babies & Toddlers

Winner: Paradise Resort Gold Coast

 

Finalists

• Club Med Bali
• Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, Fiji
• Malolo Island Resort Fiji
• Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort
• Radisson Blu Resort, Fiji

 

Best Family Ski Resort in Australia

Winner: Thredbo

 

Finalists

• Perisher
• Mount Buller
• Falls Creek
• Mt Hotham

 

Best Family Ski Resort Overseas

Winner: Whistler Blackcomb, Canada

Finalists

• Queenstown NZ
• Aspen Snowmass, Colorado, U.S.
• Niseko Japan
• Nagano Japan

 

Best International Destination

Winner: Hawaii 

Finalists

• Fiji
• USA
• Indonesia – Bali
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Japan

Best International Attraction

Winner: Disneyland Resort, California

 

Finalists

• Walt Disney World Resort, Florida
• Universal Studios Hollywood, California
• Waterbom Bali
• Legoland, California
• Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore
• Tokyo Disney Resort
• Universal Studios Japan

Best Family Resort in Fiji

Winner: Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort

 

Finalists

• Sheraton Fiji
• Raddisson Blu Resort Fiji
• Malolo Island Resort
• Castaway Island, Fiji
• Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, Fiji
• Vomo Island Resort
• Shangri-La's Fijian Resort
• Nanuku Auberge Resort
• Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa

 

Best Family Resort in Bali

Winner: Club Med Bali

Finalists

• Hard Rock Hotel Bali
• Bali Dynasty Resort Hotel
• Holiday Inn Bali Benoa
• Grand Mirage Resort and Thalasso Spa
• Conrad Bali
• Padma Resort Legian

Media Contact:
Elisa Elwin
Elwin Media Pty. Ltd.
Publisher | Out & About with Kids
M: 0413 770550
E: elisa@oawk.com.au 
W: outandaboutwithkids.com.au

Elwin Media publishes Out & About with Kids - Australia's premiere travel magazine distributed to both consumers and travel agents with a circulation of 30,000 printed. We have a growing OAWK e-Magazine with a readership of over 27,000 online.

Editor:

Deborah Dickson-Smith          Deborah@oawk.com.au          0419 618 466

Advertising and Promotional opportunities:
Wayne Stickel                         Wayne@oawk.com.au             0414 939 976
Suzanne Bailey                        Suzanne@oawk.com.au          0450 435 723