Excellence Awards launched for 2026

Written on the 23 April 2026

Business owners are being urged to submit entries to the 2026 Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards which were officially launched last night.

Deputy Mayor Cr Mark Hammel officially launched the 2026 Awards at a ceremony attended by a Who’s Who list of Gold Coast business community at the Sea World Resort.

Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards president Adam Twemlow said the awards were not just a reflection of company successes but a testament to the vibrant Gold Coast community.

“The awards, which are now in their 31st year, are about rewarding those business operators who are the best in their fields,’’ Mr Twemlow said.

“For the companies and their staff who are recognised, these awards serve as a powerful motivator.

“They open up new business avenues, enhance marketing opportunities and enable companies to proudly position themselves as award-winning entities.

“This recognition also provides our businesses with the reputational boost to attract and retain top-tier talent, offering a viable alternative to traditional power houses like Melbourne and Sydney.

Mr Twemlow said the city’s economy had been transformed in the 31 years since the Gold Coast Busienss Excellence Awards were founded to honour family businesses.

“The Gold Coast has changed from its origins as an agricultural centre and then its emergence as a tourism capital, to today where it has a robust and diversified economy that is no longer subject to a boom-bust economy,’’ said Mr Twemlow.

“The city now is also a leader in health, in education and in advanced manufacturing such as our exceptionally strong marine industry in the city’s north.”

“To recognise the increasing diversification of our regional economy, we now offer business honours in 15 different award categories.”

Mr Twemlow said 2026 was shaping up to be a challenging year for the economy but he was sure leading Gold Coast businesses would thrive.

He said the committee behind the awards was committed to running the awards in recognition of the perseverance and strength of the business community.

"Every year the quality of the entrants becomes even more impressive, the competition to win one of the awards becomes tougher and the array of industries from which the businesses come from are increasingly diverse,’’ said Mr Twemlow.

"These days many of our winners and our sponsors are household names but every month we always receive one or two surprises when little known companies pop up to claim honours."

Mr Twemlow said the awards had become such an important part of the business calendar that they were now tied to the Gold Coast City Council's procurement policy.

Entries for the 2026 May Awards are due at 5pm, on Friday, May 1.

In 2026 the awards’ major sponsors include Village Roadshow Theme Parks, Australian Retirement Trust, Invest Gold Coast, City of Gold Coast, Westpac, Optus, Walker Corporation, Griffith University, Queensland Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business, See Group, Homecorp, Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce, Gold Coast Airport and Abedian and Co.

The awards’ media sponsors include the Gold Coast Bulletin, 92.5 MMM and SeaFM 90.9, Channel 7, GWEN Creative and Go Transit.

The GCBEA’s major supporters include KPMG, ImpressU Print Group, Bloomtools, Rix Developments and Consulting Hall.