The New England region has two finalists in the NSW Tourism Awards but the Tamworth Country Music Festival is a notable exception from the festival and events section of the competition.

Armidale’s Fleet Helicopters Scenic Flights and Adventures is a finalist in the tour and/or transport operators section after winning the same section in the regional tourism awards.

Tamworth is represented in the tourist and caravan Parks section by Austin Tourist Park, which also took out a regional award.

Tourism Tamworth general manager Rebel Thomson said the Tamworth Country Music Festival was missing from the awards list because the organistaion did not nominate it this year.

Ms Thomson said the Festival had been a finalist last year, so Tourism Tamworth decided not to make a submission in this year’s awards.

“Next year, we want to do a submission for the information centre as well because of all the work we are doing there at the moment,” she said.

“We thought, with all the exciting stuff we thought would happen, we’d put the Festival in next year.”

Ms Thomson said one of the exciting changes to have taken place was Events NSW coming on board as a supporter of the Festival.

Another was the celebration of 30 years of Toyota Star Maker, which would be marked at the 2009 Festival.

“We thought we’d have a good chance (in the NSW Tourism Awards) next year,” she said.

There are 146 finalists in the NSW Tourism Awards, which are held each year.

They aim to highlight and congratulate tourism businesses that have had outstanding success.

The awards are based on submissions and a judges’ inspection.

The winners of the state awards will be announced at a gala dinner on November 20 at the Star City Hotel and Casino in Sydney.

Media personality Larry Emdur wil be the MC.