VisitEngland announces Awards for Excellence finalists

LONDON, UK, 2018-Mar-23 — /Travel PR News/ — The Awards, now in their 29th year, recognise, congratulate and celebrate businesses and individuals who go above and beyond in promoting and practising excellence across England. Finalists will be invited to attend a traditional afternoon tea at the Bath Assembly Rooms on St George’s Day, 23 April 2018. Winners will be awarded either a Bronze, Silver or Gold award at the ceremony.

VisitEngland Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said:

“These awards are a celebration of our thriving tourism industry. They highlight the people and the organisations that deliver amazing experiences for visitors, raising the profile of England as a world-class destination.

“The finalists have shown themselves to be of the highest calibre, using their talent and innovation to deliver excellence. The hundreds of applications this year reflect the quality products across our tourism landscape and I warmly congratulate all the finalists and wish them the very best of luck.”

This year’s competition was intense with up to three finalists selected in each category from hundreds of submissions. From accommodation businesses demonstrating unparalleled service to attractions providing unforgettable experiences, and outstanding food establishments to guided tour operators, applications reflected the sheer scale and range of England’s tourism industry. They included hotels, B&Bs, self-catering operators, restaurants, pubs, visitor attractions and business tourism venues.

Latest VisitEngland statistics show that from January to November 2017 Brits took more than 44 million holidays in England, spending in excess of £10 billion on staycations, up five and six per cent respectively compared to the same period in 2016.

Tourism in England contributes £106 billion to the British economy.

VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2018 finalists:

Bed & Breakfast of the Year:

• Alkham Court Farmhouse, Kent South
• Lodge Boutique B&B, Buckinghamshire
• The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon

Boutique Guest Accommodation of the Year:

• Cary Arms & Spa, Devon
• Hever Castle, Kent
• Yorebridge House, Yorkshire

Business Tourism Award:

• Rookery Hall, Cheshire
• Sage Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
• Tewkesbury Park, Gloucestershire

Dog Friendly Business of the Year:

• Bulleigh Barton Manor, Devon
• Salad Days, Somerset
• Wallops Wood Cottages, Hampshire

Guided Tour of the Year:

• The Cotswolds Distillery, Warwickshire
• World of Wedgwood, Staffordshire
• York’s Chocolate Story, Yorkshire

Holiday Park / Holiday Village of the Year:

• Gwel an Mor Resort, Cornwall
• Polmanter Touring Park, Cornwall
• Seafield Caravan Park, Northumberland

Hotel of the Year:

• Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire
• Rudding Park, Yorkshire
• Seaham Hall, County Durham

Inbound Tourism Award:

• Beiwei 55, London & Tyne & Wear
• The Grand Hotel & Spa, Yorkshire
• The Roman Baths & Pump Room, Bath & North East Somerset

Inclusive Tourism Award:

• Cottage in the Dales, Yorkshire
• Mylor Sailing School, Cornwall
• The Roman Baths & Pump Room, Bath & North East Somerset

Innovation in Tourism Award:

• British Airways i360, East Sussex
• Go North East, Tyne & Wear
• Lake District China Forum, Cumbria

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year:

• Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
• Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Dorset
• National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire

New Tourism Business Award:

• Ascent Trampoline Park, Lancashire
• CityStasher, London
• Loose Reins, Dorset

Self Catering Holiday Provider of the Year:

• Sheepyard Barn at The Suffolk Escape, Suffolk
• The Milkshed, Devon
• The Treehouses at Port Lympne Reserve, Kent

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year:

• Hall Hill Farm, County Durham
• Screech Owl Sanctuary, Cornwall
• the Charterhouse, London

Sustainable Tourism Award: 

• Browsholme Hall, Lancashire
• Colton House, Staffordshire
• Laverock Law Cottages, Northumberland

Taste of England Award:

• Askham Hall, Cumbria
• Miller’s Fish and Chips, Yorkshire
• Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park, Wiltshire

Tourism Pub of the Year:

• The Bruce Arms, Yorkshire
• The Cartford Inn, Lancashire
• The Riverside at Aymestrey, Herefordshire

Visitor Information Provider of the Year:

• Liverpool Tourist Information Centre, Merseyside
• Oxford Visitor Information Centre, Oxfordshire
• York Visitor Information Centre, Yorkshire

SOURCE: VisitBritain

Press enquiries
For more information please contact:

Charlotte Sanders

E: charlotte.sanders@visitengland.org
T: +44 (0) 20 7578 1428
M: +44 (0) 7500 555 651