The TNT Golden Backpack awards were held in Sydney last Friday November the 8th. According to TNTdownunder.com almost 94,000 votes were recorded from 23,000 individual voters with one award category receiving a whopping 2,400 votes alone.
Votes are cast over a 9 week period, where backpackers could vote for their favourite Tour/Activity & Hostel in every state along with national awards which were, Best large travel agent, Best small travel agent, Best Recruitment Service, Best Indigenous Cultural Experience, Best Online Only Booking Website.
Hosted by Sam Kekovic the event was held at the Sofitel Sydney in the grand ballroom, it was said to be a great night enjoyed by all. If you didn’t vote this year, remember to get yours in next year!
Below you’ll find all the award winners and finalists,
Queensland Awards:
Best Hostel
Winner: Halse Lodge
Best hostel finalists: Gilligan’s, Bunk Backpackers, Halse Lodge, Base Magnetic Nomads Airlee
Best tour/activity
Winner: AJ Hacket Cairns
Best tour/activity finalists:Passions of Paradise, Skydive Australia, Cairns and Mission Beach, Atlantic Clipper Drop Bear Adventures
New South Wales Awards:
Best Hostel
Winner: Bounce Sydney,
Best Hostel finalists: Wakeup!, Bounce Sydney, Base Sydney, Nomads Byron Bay Sydney Harbour YHA
Best Tour/Activity
Winner: Skydive Australia
Best tour/activity finalists: Skydive Australia, Byron Bay, Ozintro, Ultimate OZ, Downunder Adventures Mojo.
Tasmania Awards:
Best Hostel
Winner: The Pickled Frog BackpackersBest hostel finalists: Central City, The Pickled Frog Backpackers, Bicheno Backpackers, YHA Hobart Arthouse Launceston
Best Tour/Activity:
Winner: Jump Tours,
Best tour/activity finalists:Adventure Tours, Taste of Tasmania, Jump Tours, Under Downunder, Wayoutback Cradle Mountain Canyon Tours.
Northern Territory awards:
Best Hostel:Winner: Toddy’s Backpackers
Best hostel finalists: Toddy’s Backpackers, Annie’s Place, Melalueca on Mitchell, YHA Darwin Haven Resort.
Best Tour/Activity:
Winner: The Rock Tour
Best Tour/Activity finalists: Wayoutback, The Rock Tour, Mulga’s, Groovy Grape Adventure Tours.
Western Australia Awards:
Best Hostel:
Winner: Perth YHA
Best hostel finalists:Billabong Resort, Old Swan Barracks, Perth YHA, Emperors Crown Witch’s Hat.
Best Tour/Activity:
Winner: Aussie Wanderer,
Best Tour/Activity finalists: Western Xposure, Aussie Wanderer, Nullabor Traveller, Adventure Tours: Perth to Broome Ningaloo Whale Shark Swim.
Victoria Awards:
Best hostel:
Winner: Base St Kilda
Best hostel finalists: Habitat HQ, Base St Kilda, Melbourne Metro YHA, Nomads Melbourne Urban Central.
Best Tour/Activity:
Winner: Autopia Tours Great Ocean Road
Best tour/activity finalists: Autopia Tours Great Ocean Road, Wildlife Tours, Bunyip Tours, Groovy grape, Adventure Tours: Melb-Syd-Adl
South Australia Awards:
Best Hostel:
Winner: Port Lincoln YHA
Best hostel finalists:Port Lincoln YHA, Adelaide Central YHA, Backpack OZ, Shakespeare Backpackers Traveller Inn Backpackers.
Best tour/activity
Winner: Calypso Star Charters
Best tour/activity finalists:Groovy Grape: Barrossa, Nullabor Traveller, Calypso Star Charters, Swim with the Tuna Kangaroo Island Adventure Tours.
Australian National Awards
Best Backpacker Night:
Winner: Gilligan’s
Australia finalists:Downunder, The Woolshed, Birdees, Scubar, Full Moon
Best Transport Company
Winner: Greyhound
Best Transport Company Finalists: Firefly, Queensland Rail, Great Southern Rail, Premier Way , Greyhound.
Best Tour Company
Winner: Adventure Tours Australia
Best Tour Company Finalists: Adventure Tours Australia, Wildlife Tours, Drop Bear Adventures, Autopia Tours Mojo.
Best Car/Campervan Rental:
Winner: Spaceships
Best Car/Campervan Rental finalists: Spaceships, Traveller Autobarn, Might Campers, Jucy Rentals Hippie Camper.
Best Backpacker City/Region
Winner: Noosa
Best Backpacker City/Region finalists: Sydney, Cairns, Gold Coast, Noosa, Byron Bay.
Best Hostel Australia:
Winner: Halse Lodge, Noosa.
New Zealand National Awards
Best Hostel – New Zealand:
Winner: Nomads Queenstown,
Best Hostel – New Zealand Finalist: Base Wanaka, Base Queenstown, Nomads Queenstown, Jucy Hotel Haka Lodge, Christchurch.
Best Tour/Transport Company – New Zealand:
Winner: Kiwi Experience
Best Tour/Transport Company – New Zealand Finalist: Stray, Haka Tours, Kiwi Experience, Topdeck Naked Bus.
Best Activity – New Zealand:
Winner: AJ Hacket Bungy
Best Activity – New Zealand Finalist: Black Water Rafting, Shotover Canyon Swing, Jucy Cruize, Tamaki Maori Village AJ Hacket Bungy.
Best Backpacker Night – New Zealand
Winner: Big Night Out, Queenstown.
Best Backpacker Night Finalist: New Zealand: Blend Bar, Altitude Bar, Globe Bar, Camel Bar Big Night Out, Queenstown.
Best Car/Camper Rental
Winner: Jucy Rentals
Best Car/Camper Rental Finalist: New Zealand: Jucy Rentals, Mighty Campers, Spaceships, Escape Rentals Wicked Campers NZ.
General Awards
Best large travel agent:
Winner: Peterpans Adventure Travel,
Best large travel agent Finalist: Peterpans Adventure Travel, Backpacker World Travel, Base Travel, Mad Travel, Tribal Travel Adventure Travel Bugs
Best small travel agent
Winner: Gilligan’s Travel
Best small travel agent: Airleebeach.com, Travel Bugs – Urban Central, TravelUp!, Gilligan’s Travel Duck Travel.
Best Recruitment Service:
Winner: Job Search Australia
Best Recruitment Service Finalist: Job Shack Darwin, Travellers At Work, Happy Travels, Job Search Australia Australian Backpacker Jobs.
Best Indigenous Cultural Experience
Winner: Tamaki Maori Village,
Best Indigenous Cultural Experience Finalist: Tamaki Maori Village, Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, Kakadu Dreamtime Safari Daintree Dreaming.
Best Online Only Booking Website:
Winner: Bookme.com.au/co.nz
Best Online Only Booking Website Finalist: Bookme.com.au/co.nz, Booking.com, HostelZoo, Hostel World Doittours.com
