28 Oct 2020
Celebrating its tenth year, the 2020 Out & About with Kids Readers' Choice Awards has delivered some surprises, along with perennial favourites and newcomers making it onto the list of winners and finalists.
With more than 80,000 votes cast by readers across 42 categories, these prestigious annual awards showcase the best in family travel.
“The family travel market is a significant and ever-growing segment, particularly with the trend to multi-generational holidays and immersive adventure,” publisher Elisa Elwin says. “Our annual Readers' Choice 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, which are reflected in readers choices.”
Across the vast readership of Out & About with Kids, which includes the quarterly print magazine, digital subscribers, online audience and social media followers, votes have been tallied for 42 key domestic and international family holiday categories.
Melbourne emerged as Best Capital City in Australia for Families, Gold Coast came up trumps as Best Holiday Destination in Australia for Families and Dubbo claimed the podium for Best Regional Holiday Destination in Australia for Families. Other Australian winners were Perisher for Best Australian Ski Resort for Families, Warner Bros Movie World for Best Theme Park or Amusement Park in Australia for Families and Paradise Resort Gold Coast was once again the winner of Best Family Hotel or Resort in Australia for Families while Big4 Holiday Parks won Best Holiday Park Group in Australia.
Perennial family favourite Fiji claimed two wins with Best International Holiday Destination for Families and Best International Holiday Destination for Families with Babies and Toddlers. Staying overseas, other winners were Anaheim for Best Destination in North America for Families, Thailand for Best Destination in Asia for Families, Japan for Best Destination for Immersing in Culture and New Zealand for Best Destination for Adventurous Families.
The full list of worthy winners and fabulous finalists in Out & About with Kids' Readers Choice Awards 2020 appears on the OAWK website http://www.outandaboutwithkids.com.au and in the Spring 2020 issue of the magazine, published on October 31st.
Out & About with Kids Readers' Choice Awards 2020
BEST HOLIDAY DESTINATION IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Gold Coast, Queensland
FINALISTS: Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Whitsundays, Queensland
BEST CAPITAL CITY IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Melbourne, Victoria
FINALIST: Sydney, NSW - sydney.com
BEST REGIONAL HOLIDAY DESTINATION IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Dubbo, NSW
FINALISTS: Albany, Western Australia
Cairns, Queensland
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY DESTINATION FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Fiji
FINALISTS: Bali, Indonesia
Hawai'i, USA
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY DESTINATION FOR FAMILIES WITH BABIES AND TODDLERS
WINNER: Fiji
FINALIST: Bali
BEST DESTINATION IN NORTH AMERICA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Anaheim, California
FINALISTS: Orlando, Florida
Los Angeles, California
BEST DESTINATION IN ASIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Thailand
FINALIST: Singapore
BEST DESTINATION IN EUROPE FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: London
FINALISTS: Italy
France
BEST DESTINATION FOR ADVENTUROUS FAMILIES
WINNER: New Zealand
FINALIST: South Africa
BEST DESTINATION FOR IMMERSING IN CULTURE
WINNER: Japan
FINALIST: Thailand
BEST AUSTRALIAN SKI RESORT FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Perisher
FINALIST: Mt Buller
BEST INTERNATIONAL SKI RESORT FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU, Japan
FINALIST: Big White, Canada
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION IN AUSTRALIA
WINNER: Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
FINALISTS: Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, Victoria
Penguin Parade, Phillip Island, Victoria
BEST THEME PARK OR AMUSEMENT PARK IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Warner Bros. Movie World, Queensland
FINALIST: SeaWorld, Queensland
BEST ANIMAL ATTRACTION IN AUSTRALIA
WINNER: Australia Zoo
FINALIST: Taronga Zoo Sydney
BEST EDUCATIONAL ATTRACTION FOR FAMILIES IN AUSTRALIA
WINNER: Questacon, ACT
FINALIST: Scienceworks, Victoria
BEST INTERNATIONAL FAMILY ATTRACTION
WINNER: Disneyland Resort, California
BEST INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Uluru, Northern Territory
FINALIST: Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
BEST ROAD TRIP IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Great Ocean Road, Victoria
FINALIST: Sydney to Byron Bay, New South Wales
BEST FAMILY HOTEL OR RESORT IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Paradise Resort Gold Coast, Queensland
FINALIST: Sea World Resort Gold Coast, Queensland
BEST APARTMENT OR SERVICED APARTMENT BRAND IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites
FINALISTS: Mantra
Quest Apartment Hotels
BEST CAMPING SPOT IN AUSTRALIA FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Fraser Island, Queensland
FINALISTS: Gippsland Lakes, Victoria
Murray River, Victoria/New South Wales
BEST LUXURY PROPERTY IN AUSTRALIA
WINNER: Fairmont Resort and Spa Blue Mountains, New South Wales
FINALISTS: Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa, Broome, Western Australia
Sheraton Mirage, Port Douglas, Queensland
BEST HOLIDAY PARK GROUP IN AUSTRALIA
WINNER: BIG4 Holiday Parks
FINALISTS: Discovery Parks
NRMA Parks and Resorts
BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY PARKS AROUND AUSTRALIA - NEW SOUTH WALES
WINNER: BIG4 Easts Beach, Kiama
FINALISTS: NRMA Ocean Beach Resort, Central Coast
North Star Holiday Resort, Hastings Point
BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY PARKS AROUND AUSTRALIA - QUEENSLAND
Joint WINNERS:
BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort
BIG 4 Gold Coast Holiday Park
FINALISTS: NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort
BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Cairns Coconut
BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY PARKS AROUND AUSTRALIA - VICTORIA
WINNER: BIG4 Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park
FINALIST: BIG4 Apollo Bay Pisces Holiday Park
BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY PARKS AROUND AUSTRALIA - TASMANIA
WINNER: BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park
FINALIST: NRMA Port Arthur Holiday Park
BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY PARKS AROUND AUSTRALIA – NORTHERN TERRITORY
WINNER: BIG4 Howard Springs Holiday Park
FINALIST: BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park
BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY PARKS AROUND AUSTRALIA – SOUTH AUSTRALIA
WINNER: BIG4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park
FINALISTS: NRMA Victor Harbor Beachfront Holiday Park
BIG4 West Beach Parks
BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY PARKS AROUND AUSTRALIA – WEST AUSTRALIA
WINNER: RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort
FINALIST: BIG4 Beachlands Holiday Park
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS - THAILAND
WINNER: Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket
FINALISTS: Club Med Phuket
JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS - BALI
WINNER: Club Med Bali
FINALISTS: Bali Dynasty Resort
Grand Mirage Resort & Thalasso Bali
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS – MAINLAND USA
WINNER : Disneyland Resort Hotels, Anaheim, California
FINALISTS: Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Florida
Great Wolf Lodge, Anaheim, California
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS – HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
WINNER: Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort
FINALSTS: Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Kapolei
Ka'anapali Beach Hotel, Maui
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS – FIJI (VITI LEVU)
WINNER: Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort
FINALISTS: Radisson Blu Resort Fiji Denarau Island
InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS – FIJI (OTHER ISLANDS)
WINNER: Castaway Island
FINALISTS: Plantation Island Resort
Malolo Island Resort Fiji
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS – PACIFIC ISLANDS
WINNER: Pacific Resort Rarotonga, Cook Islands
FINALISTS: The Rarotongan Beach Resort and Lagoonarium, Cook Islands
Holiday Inn Resort, Vanuatu
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTELS AND RESORTS – EUROPE
WINNER: Disneyland Paris Hotel
FINALISTS: LEGOLAND Castles, LEGOLAND Deutschland Resort, Germany
Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol, Cyprus
BEST LUXURY PROPERTY
WINNER: Atlantis The Palm, Dubai
FINALISTS: Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa, Hawai'I
Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge
BEST AIRLINE FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Qantas
FINALISTS: Emirates
Air New Zealand
BEST TOUR COMPANY FOR FAMILIES
WINNER: Intrepid Travel
FINALISTS: Trafalgar
G Adventures
Media contact:
Elisa Elwin
Elwin Media Pty. Ltd.
Publisher | Out & About with Kids
W: outandaboutwithkids.com.au
M: +61 413 770 550
Elwin Media publishes Out & About with Kids - Australia's premier travel magazine, which is distributed to both consumers and travel agents with a temporarily reduced circulation (during pandemic) circulation of 8,000 printed and 1,820,000 digital magazines via Stay At Home Mum and Bright Star Kids partnerships. We have a growing social media following with 33,000 followers and 19,500 newsletter subscribers.
