The successful finalists include The Age of Fishes Museum, The Old Vic Inn, Toms Waterhole and Everview Retreat.

Last year's winner of the Inland Tourism Awards Retail category and this year's Daroo winner - The Canowindra Trading Post is also a finalist in the awards.

All five finalists are based in Canowindra, a town growing in popularity as a tourist destination due to its heritage, boutique accommodation and shops, wines, hot air balloons and museum.

The annual Awards showcase Inland NSW's finest tourism operators and individuals who have distinguished themselves as providers of excellence in service, product, experience and innovation.

Regions included in "Inland NSW" are New England, North West, Outback NSW, Central NSW and the Riverina.

When launching the awards in April this year, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Sandra Nori, stressed the importance of tourism to regional NSW.

"It is estimated that last year there were more than 9.8 million visitors to these regions who spent around $2.2 billion, highlighting the importance of the tourism industry to these economies," Ms Nori said.

Chairman of the Inland NSW Tourism Awards, Ted Wilson, said the awards were an important opportunity to recognise business excellence in times of adversity.

"Tourism (in this area) has been affected by the continuing drought, rising petrol prices and cheap international and domestic city to city flights in recent times.

"Yet because of the many exceptional and diverse tourism attractions and facilities tourism continues to play a significant part in the growth of regional NSW," said Mr Wilson.

The 2006 Awards will be announced at a gala dinner in Wagga Wagga on Sunday, July 30.