At Directions Hospitality Consulting, we believe that strong hospitality and tourism businesses are built on experience, clear systems, and a deep understanding of how the industry operates in real life. That’s why I was proud to be selected as one of the judges on the panel for the Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards, a respected program recognising excellence across Western Australia’s tourism sector.
The WA Tourism Awards are conducted by Tourism Council WA and judged by a panel of experienced industry peers. All judges volunteer their time and expertise, contributing to a process designed to support, strengthen, and celebrate the tourism industry across the state. Being part of this process was both a privilege and a valuable opportunity to contribute to an industry that plays such an important role in Western Australia’s economy and communities.
A Structured and Transparent Judging Process
One of the key strengths of the Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards is the rigour and transparency of the judging process. Before judging commenced, all panel members completed training to ensure a consistent, fair, and professional approach across all categories. This training covered the full judging framework, including how submissions are assessed, how scores are allocated, and how feedback is provided to entrants. Judges were required to follow detailed scoring guidelines to ensure that every business was assessed against the same criteria.
The process involved reviewing written award submissions, participating in site inspections and interviews where applicable, and providing clear, constructive feedback. This feedback is an important part of the Awards, as it helps businesses understand their strengths and identify areas for future improvement.
Independent Assessment and Balanced Scoring
Each award submission was independently assessed by three different judges, helping to ensure balance and objectivity in the final outcome. Scores from each judge were aggregated to determine the final result, with some categories also including an interview score as part of the overall assessment.
This multi-judge approach ensures that no single opinion determines the outcome and that entries are evaluated from multiple professional perspectives. From an industry standpoint, this adds credibility and confidence in the integrity of the Awards.
Strong Industry Representation
Judges are selected through a transparent appointment process and must meet strict eligibility criteria. The judging panel represented a broad cross-section of the tourism and service industries, with all judges bringing strong operational knowledge and experience at a senior management level.
This industry experience is critical. It ensures that submissions are assessed by people who understand the realities of running hospitality and tourism businesses — from staffing and systems to customer experience, compliance, and financial sustainability. As a consultant working closely with hospitality and tourism operators, it was encouraging to see the depth of thought, professionalism, and innovation demonstrated across many of the submissions.
Oversight and Integrity
To further protect the integrity of the WA Tourism Awards, the entire judging process is overseen by professional auditors. Their role includes auditing submissions for compliance, reviewing score sheets, and managing conflicts of interest and confidentiality declarations. This independent oversight provides an additional layer of assurance that the Awards remain fair, transparent, and credible for all entrants.
Why Industry Involvement Matters
At Directions Hospitality Consulting, industry involvement is an important part of how we stay connected, informed, and grounded in best practice. Being involved in the WA Tourism Awards judging process provided valuable insight into current industry trends, challenges, and emerging best practices across Western Australia.
It also reinforced the importance of strong systems, clear processes, and leadership — themes we see consistently across high-performing tourism businesses.
Supporting Excellence Across Western Australia
Being selected as a judge was an honour, and being part of the panel was a rewarding experience. It was inspiring to see the passion, resilience, and commitment demonstrated by tourism operators across the state.
The Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards play an important role in recognising this effort and encouraging continuous improvement across the industry. I’m proud to have contributed to a process that supports excellence, professionalism, and sustainable growth within Western Australia’s tourism sector.