International leader supports St George's Top Tourism Town award bid

St George in Queensland has garnered international attention for its bid to be crowned the Sunshine State’s Top Tourism Town.

Borough President of Staten Island in New York City, James S. Oddo, has responded to Balonne Shire Council’s call for international communities called St George to vote for our town in the Queensland Top Tourism Town Awards.

Staten Island has a district of St George within its borough, which is a tight-knit community at the southern tip of New York City.

After answering Balonne Shire’s international callout with enthusiasm, Mr Oddo and Mayor Samantha O’Toole (with their teams) met via Zoom on Friday to discuss the Top Tourism Town Awards, and their respective communities more broadly.

While the two Local Government Areas seem very different at face value, Mayor O’Toole and Mr Oddo found many similarities in their communities, particularly when it came to residents and their passion for the respective districts.

Mayor O’Toole said it was encouraging to meet Mr Oddo and appreciated the enthusiasm from his entire team in supporting Council’s bid for the Top Tourism Town Award. “I was so surprised and excited to hear from Mr Oddo and his team in Staten Island.

We never thought a city of their size would respond to a letter from our small Shire,” she said.

“To hear directly from a Borough President in New York City, and receive this pledge of support - we’re over the moon with this response.

“Their Local Government Area has a huge population compared to ours, and to have them vote for St George in the Top Tourism Town Awards is simply incredible.

“I’m looking forward to the ongoing friendship between the Councils in Balonne Shire and Staten Island, and we have already invited their community to visit us once we get a handle on the COVID-19 pandemic and can safely travel again.”

In their meeting, Mr Oddo and Mayor O’Toole enjoyed a fruitful discussion on tourism and adapting to the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Borough of Staten Island has rallied support for St George in the Top Tourism Town Awards over the final days of voting.

The Queensland winner of the Top Tourism Town Award is decided by popular vote; polls have now closed, and Balonne Shire Council appreciates the support from everyone who voted from our community and beyond.