Indigenous tourism continues to shine on the world stage, taking out major international awards.

At a gala in Manilla this week, the World Travel Awards - which celebrates excellence across all key areas of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries, and who is voted on by industry professionals and the public - recognised the Ayers Rock Resort and the resort's world-class cultural storytelling experience, Wintjiri Wiṟu, with a number of awards.

Wintjiri Wiṟu, which features 1,100 drones, lasers, and projections to tell the ancestral Indigenous Mala story was developed in close collaboration with Aṉangu, the Traditional Owners of Uluṟu, and led by the Wintjiri Wiṟu Working Group comprising senior Aṉangu from Mutitjulu and Kaltukatjara (Docker River).

The stunning experience beat out a host of famous places to win Oceania's Leading Tourist Attraction.

The Ayers Rock Resort, in the shadow of Uluru, took out the Oceania's Responsible Tourism Award at the awards.

It caps a successful year for the resort, which has also been nominated for a number of culinary awards.

The resort's Tali Wiṟu restaurant took out the Premium Dining and Tourism Restaurant categories for NT and QLD at the Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards For Excellence and is a finalist in the Oceania's Best Fine Dining Hotel category at the World Culinary Awards, the later also seeing the resort itself a finalist in the World's Best Culinary Resort category.

The Arnguli Grill and Restaurant at the Desert Garden Hotel also won "Best Steak" at the recent Hospitality NT Gold Plate Awards.

Furthermore, Arnguli received the Readers' Choice 2024 award, while Tali Wiṟu received a prestigious "Chef's Hat" and Readers' Choice Award, from the Australian Good Food Guide.

Wintjiri Wiṟu also took out the title of leading Industry Innovator in the Activities and Attractions category at this year's New York-based Skift IDEA Awards.

The experience, in the sunset in front of Uluru, has also been nominated for the Best Indigenous Experience at the Luxury Travel Gold List Awards and the Best Tourism Initiative Hospitality NT Awards for Excellence.

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) established to undertake tourism business on its behalf.

CEO Matt Cameron-Smith said they were incredibly honoured to be recognised on the world stage with the awards.

"Coming out on top in such a competitive field, while a humbling achievement, further reinforces Ayers Rock Resort's position as a leader in cultural and sustainable tourism," he said.

"The Wintjiri Wiṟu Working Group played a vital role in bringing this experience to life, and these awards are a testament to their vision, and to the strength of Anangu culture."