The judging panel for the 2026 Tassie's Top Tourism Town Awards comprised respected and experienced professionals from across Tasmania's tourism industry and related sectors.

Each judge generously volunteered a significant amount of their time to independently assess entries and provide entrants with detailed, constructive and carefully considered feedback.

The judging process was led by the Chair of Judges, who oversaw, facilitated and moderated the assessment process to ensure a fair, consistent and rigorous evaluation of all submissions.

Terri Simpkin - Chair of Judges

Terri is an Associate Professor in Management and the Director of Mischief: a consulting firm specialising in organisational capability development. She is also a NED for social enterprise, Hamlet.

After an award-winning tenure at Drysdale she moved onto global management roles for Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Nottingham in the UK.

Prior to this, Terri held multiple leadership roles in human resources, strategy and business management. As a consultant to the hospitality and tourism sectors, she has worked extensively with government agencies, SMEs, international industry associations and large companies.

She focusses on the complexity of contemporary workforces and emergent leadership challenges across sectors including organisations such as the NHS, Bloomberg, CBRE, BAE Systems and Cambridge University.

Her PhD examined the complexities of occupational decision making in the hospitality industry. As a Churchill Fellow, she researched human resources practices in hospitality and tourism across the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States including a management programme at Disney in Florida.

Noani Johnston

Noani is the Marketing Planning Manager at Tourism Tasmania, where she helps shape the strategic marketing programs that build Tasmania’s brand and connect travellers to the island’s unique character and sense of place. She also manages the agency’s Marketing Our Regions program, working closely with Regional Tourism Organisations to ensure proportionate regional representation across Tourism Tasmania’s marketing activity.

With more than two decades’ experience in marketing, advertising, media and communications, Noani has led work with national and global brands across the tourism, retail and FMCG, government, non-profit, IT and lifestyle sectors. Her expertise spans brand strategy, media and communications planning, behavioural-change campaigns and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on creativity that delivers measurable impact.

A proud Tasmanian who grew up in the Huon Valley, Noani brings curiosity, strategic insight and a passion for celebrating Tasmanian tourism experiences that foster genuine connection and lasting benefit for communities and visitors alike.

Josie McGuire

Josie has been part of the Spirit of Tasmania team since 2004, with experience across Port Operations, Corporate Services, and Retail & Hospitality. In her current role as Manager - Customer Relations, she oversees customer feedback and engagement, using passenger insights to enhance the travel experience and support continuous improvement across the business.

Throughout her career, she has developed a broad understanding of the organisation and the important role Spirit of Tasmania plays in connecting people with Tasmania, supporting the visitor economy, and creating memorable travel experiences.

Outside of work, she has a genuine passion for Tasmania and the tourism industry. She is a regular traveller throughout the state and enjoys discovering new experiences, supporting local businesses, producers, and tourism operators. She also enjoys travelling interstate and overseas, gaining inspiration from different destinations and exploring new ideas that can enhance our own visitor experiences.

She is passionate about showcasing the best of Tasmania and recognising the creativity, dedication, and innovation of the people who make our tourism industry unique.

Ian Rankine

Ian Rankine has been Chief Executive Officer and Director of Tasmanian Vacations, one of Tasmania’s leading holiday wholesalers, since 2019.

Ian brings decades of experience in Tasmania’s tourism industry, with a strong reputation for industry engagement, strategic leadership, and destination marketing across Australia and key international markets.

Before joining Tasmanian Vacations, Ian was Chief Executive of Innkeepers Tasmania, where he led the organisation until 2022 and helped strengthen Tasmania’s statewide accommodation and visitor attraction sectors.

He has also contributed widely to the tourism sector, serving as Chair of Totally South Tourism, now Discover Southern Tasmania, and as a long-standing Board Member of the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania. From 2017 to 2021, he served on the Board of Tourism Tasmania, helping guide the state’s tourism strategy through the challenges of COVID-19 and the significant growth that followed.

Ian has judged the Tasmanian Tourism Awards for many years and, more recently, Tasmania’s Top Tourism Towns over the past four years.

In recognition of his industry contribution, Ian received the 2006 Tourism Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual, as well as Outstanding Contribution to ATEC, the Australian Tourism Export Council, in 2012 and 2018.