ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr congratulates Questacon on Tourism Awards success
Today ACT Chief Minister, Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Andrew Barr congratulated Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre for winning gold in the Tourist Attractions category at the 2016 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.
The Chief Minister toured Questacon meeting staff and volunteers who developed and delivered Questacon’s nationally acclaimed tourism products and services.
Questacon Director Professor Graham Durant, said after the Chief Minister’s visit, “Questacon’s win in the coveted Tourist Attractions category shows that our engaging science activities are a nationally competitive sustainable tourism product. Our dedicated staff and volunteers inspire all Australians to engage with science, technology and innovation through hands-on experiences that support lifelong learning.”
“Exhibitions including Mini Q, our dedicated exploration space for 0 – 6 year olds, are shaping the future of even the youngest Australians by inspiring them towards a path to become future leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths,” said Professor Graham Durant.
Questacon is at the forefront of public and private science and tourism collaborations and provides a leading example of a sustainable and innovative social enterprise. The visitor experience is core to the success of Questacon’s products and services and these are interwoven through the ACT visitor economy to strengthen tourism across the region.
“On 25 March international touring exhibition Above and Beyond will open at Questacon. Presented by Boeing, and developed in collaboration with NASA and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, this interactive aviation and aerospace exhibition celebrates the power of innovation to make dreams take flight,” said Professor Graham Durant.
Last year Questacon welcomed record visitation of 487,691 people to its iconic Centre in the Parliamentary Zone. Visitors of all ages find themselves immersed in interactive science experiences across eight themed exhibitions and participate in science shows delivered by the Questacon Excited Particles theatre troupe.
Questacon’s second technology campus in Canberra, The Ian Potter Foundation Technology Learning Centre, offers school and holiday workshops and is the hub for Questacon’s national programmes and travelling exhibitions.
Questacon was presented gold in Darwin last month at the Awards attended by finalists from across the Canberra region. Other winning finalists included the Canberra Airport taking silver in the Specialised Tourism Services category and the 2016 National Folk Festival winning silver in the Festivals and Events category.
Media contact:
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science 02 6213 6308 or media@industry.gov.au
