Lakeview Luxury Cabins brought home a silver trophy from the 2017 NSW Tourism Awards and next year they have just one goal – gold.
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The cabins overlook Lake Canobolas and are owned by Pam and Trevor King.
It’s the fourth year they’ve entered the state tourism awards and this year they improved on their bronze trophy from the 2016 event.
“We’ve improved by one. We wouldn’t go in it without targeting a win,” Mr King said.
“So there’s no pressure for next year,” Mrs King joked.
The top award might have escaped their grasp this year but the Kings said the process of nominating was highly beneficial to the business’s success.
“The whole process is very good for business planning, it makes you step outside your business instead of working inside it,” Mr King said.
“If you’re stuck working inside you only focus on the day-to-day.”
The whole process is very good for business planning, it makes you step outside your business instead of working inside it.
- Lakeview Luxury Cabins co-owner Trevor King
Approaching it in that way made entrants examine what they did, how they did it and why they did it.
Mr King said winning was less about the product they offered – accommodation – and more about ensuring their business was successful and sustainable.
Mrs King said the award nomination process encouraged them to examine everything from marketing to waste disposal – everything went under the microscope.
As part of their drive to win at the NSW Tourism Awards, the Kings will launch a new website to help promote their business.
They said the secret to their success was simple: hard work.
“You’ve got to spend a lot of time and effort going through the information they want to see, collecting it and understand what you need to do to complete,” Mr King said.
“[And] we still have to run a successful business.”
Mr King said they kept in contact with other tourism operators to recommend worthwhile destinations around the region including wineries, or information about heritage.
With a minimum two-night stay he said plenty of plenty took time to explore or just relax.
He said it wasn’t all about welcoming tourists as locals could stay in the cabins to take time away from children or perhaps for a special anniversary.
Lakeview Luxury Cabins weren’t the only Central West tourism operator to enjoy success at the state awards.
Both FOOD Week and the Canowindra International Ballooning Challenge were nominated in the festivals and events categories.
The Canowindra Ballooning Challenge won bronze.
The Kings also won their self-contained accommodation category in the NSW Regional Tourism Awards in 2015 and 2016.
While the regional awards weren’t held this year, they’re planning to win again when they’re hosted in Orange in 2018.
Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
