If you're a restaurant, cafe, hotel or caterer in Australia, your website could be eligible to win this prestigious annual Award.

Entries are now Closed

This is powerful recognition for businesses large and small - check the entry criteria and join the competition.

See the Finalists & Winners for 2007 and for 2006. Award entry is open to any fully paid member of any State Restaurant & Catering Association in Australia.

JUDGING CRITERIA...

This competition is very easy to enter - if you have a website you are almost there.

The information below will provide pointers on what the judges will be looking for in a winning website:

1. Quality, range and depth of information. Customers and website visitors are hungry for information. They're interested in menus, prices, beverage lists and room layouts, plus information about atmosphere, entertainment, events and the latest news. There should also be good information about the business and it's management on the 'About Us', 'Contact Us' and 'Employment' pages.

2. Effectiveness as a sales tool. A good website guides the visitor to action. They may want to make a booking, request more information, make a recommendation to friends or just find out the location or opening times. The website copy will be well written and optimised for search engines to find the site easily.

3. Visual appeal and support for the business brand. Good use of photography, colour and layout. Modern, uncluttered design in keeping with the style of business. Offers a strong sense of what it would be like to experience the venue, enjoy the food, beverage, location and service.

4. The website is interactive. It allows you to download a menu, join an email list, click and view photos or video, send feedback, participate in a survey etc. You feel that you're participating, not just watching. This is increasingly expected of modern websites.

5. Functionality of the website. Quick to load, free of annoying features, and without problems if viewed on different computers or operating systems. Easy to navigate and locate different sections of the site. All links work properly and any new technology supports the visitor rather than being an end in itself (eg Flash used with care).

AWARD and RECOGNITION

The glory, success and industry recognition for the 2008 Best Hospitality Website Award Winner is a fitting reward for an innovative industry leader paving the way in the use of technology.

The five State finalists will also receive framed certificates to recognise their achievement. Success in this Award category provides an invaluable marketing advantage and also offers huge leveraging opportunities, starting with the announcement on your website and that of the Restaurant & Catering Association in your state and nationally. This is the only award of it's type in Australia.

Your application must provide the following information:

• Business Website address

• Entrant Name & Position

• Business Name

• Address

• Telephone, Fax and Mobile numbers (where applicable)

• Email address

IMPORTANT: The Restaurant & Catering

Australia Best Hospitality Website Award nomination

form must be submitted using the email address of the

paid R&CA member.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1. The official nomination

   form must accompany each submission.
   

2. The Restaurant &

   Catering Australia Best Hospitality Website Award

   is open to any fully paid member of any State Restaurant

   & Catering Association in Australia.
   

3. Entry form should

   be submitted on-line NO LATER THAN 5pm 3 October 2008.
   

4. The winning entrant

   will be announced at the R&CA National Awards

   Dinner in Brisbane on 27 October 2008.
   

5. Restaurant & Catering

   Australia, constitutional R&C State Associations

   and Profitable Hospitality, reserve the right to

   publish any entry, and promote the nominated websites

   as desired. Entrants may be required for media interviews

   and/or to appear at industry events.
   

6. Winning entrant:
   

   Should the winner or the winner’s employer

   wish to publicise the winning of the Restaurant

   & Catering Australia Best Hospitality Website

   Award, the wording for any advertising or promotional

   material featuring the achievement must specify:

   - That you have won a Restaurant & Catering Australia

   Best Hospitality Website Award

   - The year in which

   the Award was won and;
   

   - Prior approval for the use of the Restaurant &

   Catering Australia Competition icon in advertisements

   must be obtained from Restaurant & Catering

   Australia

7. The judges will have complete discretion as to the

   application of any of the conditions of entry.

8. Should the standard of entrants not be of an acceptable

   standard, no winner will be announced.
   

9. The judges' decision will be final on all matters

   relating to the competition and no correspondence

   will be entered into.
   

10. The conduct of the competition shall not give rise

    to any obligations or duties, enforceable in any way

    against Restaurant & Catering Australia or Profitable

    Hospitality.

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