Cream of tourism crop revealed with VisitEngland's latest Awards for Excellence
VisitEngland has named the best Britain's tourism industry has to offer, announcing the winners of its annual Awards for Excellence.
The awards, which enter their 29th year, recognise businesses and individuals who raise the bar of England’s tourism offer.
The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire is among the winners this year, with the attraction picking up the Gold Award for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, beating Blenheim Place and the Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, which picked up Silver and Bronze Awards respectively.
In the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year, the Charterhouse in London was the Gold Award winner, with County Durham's Hall Hill Farm winning Silver and the Screech Owl Sanctuary & Wildlife Park in Cornwall with Bronze.
Brighton's i360 also picked up a Gold Award, winning the category for Innovation in Tourism. The visitor attraction beat the Tyne & Wear area's Go North East transport service, which won Silver, and the English Lake District China Forum, which was the Bronze winner.
"These awards shine a spotlight on our fantastic tourism industry with the winners showcasing the quality, innovation and excellence on offer throughout the country," said VisitEngland chief executive, Sally Balcombe.
"From an outstanding boutique hotel in the Dales to a tour of York’s chocolate-making history, from pine holiday lodges on the sandy beaches of Cornwall to a quintessentially English country-pub in Hertfordshire, these winners provide outstanding and truly memorable visitor experiences."
Latest VisitEngland statistics show that in 2017 Britons took more than 47 million holidays in England, an increase of 6 per cent on the previous year. Staycationers also spent more than £11bn (US$15.3bn, €12.6bn) in 2017 – also a 6 per cent rise on 2016. Overall tourism contributes an estimated £106bn (US$148bn, €121.1bn) to the English economy.
Below are the winners in each category for this year’s awards:
Bed & Breakfast of the Year
GOLD - Alkham Court Farmhouse, Kent
SILVER - The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon BRONZE - South Lodge Boutique B&B, Buckinghamshire
Boutique Guest Accommodation of the Year
GOLD - Yorebridge House, Yorkshire
SILVER - Hever Castle & Gardens, KentBRONZE - Cary Arms & Spa “Inn on the Beach”, Devon
Business Tourism Award
GOLD - Sage Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
SILVER - Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa, CheshireBRONZE - Tewkesbury Park, Gloucestershire
Dog Friendly Business of the Year
GOLD - Wallops Wood Cottages, Hampshire
SILVER - Bulleigh Barton Manor, DevonBRONZE - Salad Days Beach Hut, Somerset
Guided Tour of the Year
GOLD - York’s Chocolate Story, Yorkshire
SILVER - World of Wedgwood, StaffordshireBRONZE - Cotswolds Distillery, Warwickshire
Holiday Park / Holiday Village of the Year
GOLD - Landal Gwel an Mor, Cornwall
SILVER - Seafield Caravan Park, NorthumberlandBRONZE - Polmanter Touring Park, Cornwall
Hotel of the Year
GOLD - Rudding Park, Yorkshire
SILVER - Lucknam Park, WiltshireBRONZE - Seaham Hall, County Durham
Inbound Tourism Award
GOLD - Beiwei 55°, London and Tyne & Wear
SILVER - The Roman Baths & Pump Room, Bath & North East SomersetBRONZE - The Grand Hotel & Spa, Yorkshire
Inclusive Tourism Award
GOLD - The Roman Baths & Pump Room, Bath & North East Somerset
SILVER - Mylor Sailing & Powerboat School, CornwallBRONZE - Cottage in the Dales, Yorkshire
Innovation in Tourism Award
GOLD - British Airways i360, East Sussex
SILVER - Go North East, Tyne & WearBRONZE - English Lake District China Forum, Cumbria
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
GOLD - National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire
SILVER - Blenheim Palace, OxfordshireBRONZE - Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Dorset
New Tourism Business Award
GOLD – Stasher, London
SILVER - Ascent Trampoline Park, LancashireBRONZE - Loose Reins, Dorset
Self Catering Holiday Provider of the Year
GOLD - Sheepyard Barn at The Suffolk Escape, Suffolk
SILVER - The Milkshed, DevonBRONZE - The Treehouse Hotel at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, Kent
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
GOLD - the Charterhouse, London
SILVER - Hall Hill Farm, County DurhamBRONZE - Screech Owl Sanctuary & Wildlife Park, Cornwall
Sustainable Tourism Award
GOLD - Laverock Law Cottages, Northumberland
SILVER - Browsholme Hall, LancashireBRONZE - Colton House, Staffordshire
Taste of England Award
GOLD - Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park, WiltshireSILVER - Miller’s Fish and Chips, Yorkshire
BRONZE - Askham Hall, Cumbria
Tourism Pub of the Year
GOLD - The Riverside at Aymestrey, HerefordshireSILVER - The Cartford Inn, Lancashire
BRONZE - The Bruce Arms West Tanfield, Yorkshire
Visitor Information Provider of the Year
GOLD - York Visitor Information Centre, YorkshireSILVER - Oxford Visitor Information Centre, Oxfordshire
BRONZE - Liverpool Tourist Information Centre, Merseyside
Tourism Superstar
Jim O’Reilly, Red Funnel Ferries, Isle of Wight
Travel Article of the Year
Richard Mellor, The GuardianParty in the Sea - Between the Isles of Scilly
Outstanding Contribution to Tourism
Historic Royal Palaces
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