Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said the wins capped off an exciting few months for Greater Bendigo.

"We are thrilled to have won these awards, which recognise the importance of tourism to regional communities," Cr Metcalf said.

"Our visitor economy has roared back to life, with our Elvis: Direct from Graceland exhibition leading the charge to draw people back to our region. Over many years the City of Greater Bendigo and the local industry have worked hard to build our arts and culture brand and it is wonderful to see these efforts rewarded again.

"We are delighted that people have found Bendigo and Heathcote to be such wonderful and memorable places to visit, and I could not be prouder of the way our local business community has rallied to warmly welcome people back as pandemic restrictions have eased.

"Tourism is so important to us and we have an amazing and passionate local industry of hospitality, accommodation, attraction, marketing and other professionals that are wonderful ambassadors for our region - so these awards are a win for everyone that contributes to this critical part of our economy."

As the winner of the Top Tourism Town (population over 5,000), Bendigo will now go onto compete at Australia's Town Tourism Town Awards to be announced in the next few months.

Earlier

BENDIGO has been named the state's top tourism town at a glittering awards ceremony held overnight in Healesville.

The best of regional Victoria has been recognised at this year's Top Tourism Town Awards, celebrating some of the state's most attractive tourist destinations.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos attended the awards, which showcased the 18 finalists from Victoria.

Accolades were handed to eight towns across the state with Bendigo, Port Fairy and Mount Macedon winning gold in their respective categories, while Echuca, Sorrento and Timboon won silver and Heathcote and Noojee were awarded bronze.

"These awards showcase some of the best regional destinations across Victoria, providing visitors from across the state and the country even more reasons to discover the world class experiences our state has to offer," Mr Dimopoulos said.

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"Tourism is a vital part of Victoria's economy, that's why we're continuing to invest in regional centres across the state - delivering more jobs and economic benefits for communities across Victoria."

Selected for their commitment to encourage and support tourism, towns are recognised for their visitor offerings and ability to collaborate with tourism operators, local businesses and the wider community to deliver unique experiences.

The Top Tourism Awards are presented in three categories - Tiny Tourism Town awarded to towns with less than 1500 people, Small Tourism Town awarded to those with 1500 to 5000 people, and Top Tourism Town awarded to towns with over 5000 people.

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