Sunshine Coast accommodation shines brightly in Best of Queensland Experiences accreditation program
The 100% operators included hotels: Sofitel Noosa Pacific & The Sebel Maroochydore, boutique accoms: Spicers Clovelly, Narrows Escape & Montville Misty View Cottages, & holiday parks: Ingenia Holidays Rivershore & Mooloolaba Beach Holiday Park.
More than 300 Sunshine Coast hotel and tourism operators have been recognised as Best of Queensland Experiences 2025, Tourism and Events Queensland’s (TEQ) official stamp of excellence.
The prestigious Best of Queensland Experience Program recognises hotel and tourism operators that consistently deliver exceptional visitor experiences, measured through independent criteria such as glowing online reviews, professional digital presence, secure online booking capabilities, social media engagement, RTO membership and formal accreditation.
In 2025, a record 310 Sunshine Coast operators were accredited Best of Queensland experiences, up from 284 in 2024. In the auditing process, 59 Sunshine Coast tourism businesses scored a perfect 100%, up from 42 in 2024.
Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel that the program not only benefitted individual businesses but enhanced the entire Sunshine Coast brand.
“We are incredibly proud of the 310 operators who have earned this prestigious accolade,” he said.
“VSC has worked closely with operators to enhance standards and capabilities through our range of industry development programs and it is very pleasing to see performance improvements across the sector. For instance, 95 percent of our industry now pass the accredited Social Media benchmarks.
“This accreditation reflects our industry’s unwavering commitment to high standards, innovation, and authentic Sunshine Coast hospitality. Our operators’ success reinforces the Sunshine Coast’s position as one of Queensland’s premier regions for unforgettable, quality travel experiences.”
Mr Stoeckel said the operators which had scored a perfect 100 percent deserved special congratulations, and the fact that the number had increased from 43 to 59 in just one year was reflective of the passionate operators who strived to be the best of the best.
The 100 percent accommodation operators included major hotels such as Sofitel Noosa Pacific and The Sebel Maroochydore, boutique properties including Spicers Clovelly, Narrows Escape and Montville Misty View Cottages, and holiday parks including Ingenia Holidays Rivershore and Mooloolaba Beach Holiday Park.
“Congratulations to all these operators for leading the way and ensuring the Sunshine Coast has the best of Queensland experiences on show”, said Mr Stoeckel.
The Best of Queensland Experience Program was launched in 2018 as a joint initiative between TEQ, Queensland’s Regional Tourism Organisations, the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC), and the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, with the goal of lifting the bar for tourism standards across the state.
This year, successful operators spanned all 13 tourism regions across Queensland, showcasing outstanding performance in accommodation, tours, attractions, dining, and more.
For visitors and locals alike, the Best of Queensland stamp is a simple way to find and enjoy Queensland’s very best tourism experiences – and the Sunshine Coast has plenty to offer.
“Meeting all the criteria for this recognition program is not easy, and this is done deliberately to show travellers from all over the world that Queensland really does offer a world-class holiday,” said Craig Davidson, CEO of Tourism and Events Queensland.
“Carrying the industry’s Best of Queensland Experience stamp is a significant achievement; operators who have secured this have gone above and beyond to offer an all-round outstanding experience for visitors to our great state,” he said.
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