MOREE and Mungindi are in the running for their respective NRMA People’s Choice categories in the NSW Tourism Association Top Tourism Town competition – and now it’s over to the Moree Plains community to help bring it home the trophies.

The NSW Top Tourism Town awards are delivered by the NSW Tourism Association, and celebrate destinations that showcases outstanding visitor experiences and the very best of regional New South Wales.

Public voting will be open until Sunday, May 3, with votes playing a key role in determining the winners.

Moree is pitted against Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Forbes, Kiama, Orange, Shellharbour and Wollongong in the Top Tourism Towns category and Mungindi takes on Broke and Millthorpe in the Tiny Tourism Towns category.

Votes for Moree and Mungindi can be lodged HERE.

(from left) Tourism Moree’s Arika Newman, CEO Julie Rushby and Vivien Clyne at Moree Tourist Information Centre.

Categories include Top Tourism Town Award, for a population more than 5000; Small Tourism Town Award for a population between 1500 and 5000 and Tiny Tourism Town Award for a population below 1500.

Local Councils, accredited Visitor Information Centres and Local Tourism Associations were encouraged to nominate their town, with entries showcasing an itinerary, video and website with bookable products.

Tourism Moree CEO, Julie Rushby, said the awards are not only about recognition, but about celebrating the region and inviting locals and visitors to get behind it and show their support.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for our community to show their pride and support for Moree and Mungindi,” she said.

“Public voting plays a really important role in these awards, and every vote is a chance to showcase what makes our towns so special.”

For Tourism Moree, the process has also been part of a broader strategy to strengthen the visitor economy and continue improving how the region presents itself to the world.

“We’ve entered the awards as part of a bigger strategy to grow our visitor economy and to share the stories of the Moree Plains more broadly,” Ms Rushby said.

“Entering the awards gives us a chance to benchmark our tourism offering, get independent feedback, and really focus on things like developing industry with better marketing and online reviews.

“We’ve got so much to offer here, from our artesian water and amazing art to big open skies and incredible regional events.

“Ultimately, this is about putting Moree and Mungindi on the map in a really positive way. The Moree Plains offers a uniquely Australian experience that locals are incredibly proud of,” she said.

Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan congratulated Tourism Moree, and the Mungindi and Moree communities.

“Having Moree and Mungindi nominated for these two categories is a nod to the strong communities who have worked to showcase what the towns have to offer,” Mr Moylan said.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, May 27 at the LGNSW Destination and Visitor Economy Conference in Maitland.

Votes for Moree and Mungindi can be lodged HERE.