Stanthorpe places third in Wotif Aussie Town of the Year 2024 Awards

Just one Queensland town made the top 10 in this year’s Wotif Town of the Year Awards and it’s no surprise with all the region has to offer. Find out where here.

The heart of the Granite Belt has been named in the top 10 travel destinations in Australia for 2024.

Stanthorpe’s tourism has flourished in recent years and it comes as no surprise with a field of local attractions bringing domestic and international visitors to the region.

The town was awarded third place in the 2024 Wotif Aussie Town of the Year awards, and was the only Queensland location to make it on the list.

Now in its seventh year, the Wotif Aussie Town of the Year Awards recognise trending destinations for the year ahead and is based on a Wotif data index that looks at accommodation affordability, quality, and traveller satisfaction.

Home to Queensland’s oldest vineyard, wine is just one of many reasons travellers are coming in droves for the chance to taste test all the cold country has on offer.

Stanthorpe has been named in the top 10 of Wotif’s 2024 Aussie Town of the Year Awards for its bustling food and wine culture.

Food aside, the natural landscapes of the region with the likes of Girraween National Park, Mt Marlay and its biking trails give travellers even more reason to stop by.

The region’s tourism has majorly profited post-Covid, with travel data revealing more people are investing in domestic travel.

Southern Queensland Country Tourism chief executive Peter Homan said the Granite Belt has attracted an increase of eager travellers from the northern NSW coast up to Noosa.

Southern Queensland Country Tourism chief executive Peter Homan is confident the spike in Stanthorpe’s tourism will only increase in the future.

“People seemed to discover something they loved in their own backyard during Covid when we couldn’t travel more than a few hundred kilometres,” he said.

“Post-Covid we’ve seen bookings in the region as far out as eight months.

“We’re a much more affordable destination compared to somewhere like the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast and we’ve got everything that travellers are looking for.”

This major increase has been seen tenfold with the upcoming biannual Stanthorpe Apple and Grape Harvest Festival seeing organisers sourcing alternative accommodation for visitors.

Mr Homan said a major change in tourism attractions both domestically and internationally has been an uptake in traveller’s interest in food, wine and the outdoors.

“A lot of international travellers are looking for nature based trips and big blue skies, as well as food and wine,” he said.

“We expect the region’s tourism will continue to flourish well into the future.”

Originally published as Stanthorpe places third in Wotif Aussie Town of the Year 2024 Awards