Triple Gold for South East Tourism Businesses at the National Excellence Awards
Five South East tourism businesses scooped awards at last night’s national tourism awards for Excellence in Manchester, including three Golds. Organised by VisitEngland, the annual awards recognise outstanding excellence in fifteen categories in this celebration of the crème de la crème of UK’s tourism businesses.
Beaulieu beat off tough competition to win Gold for Large Visitor Attraction of the year one of the most coveted categories. The Feathered Nest in Nether Westcote, Oxfordshire was awarded Gold as the Tourism Pub of the Year and Alkham Court Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast, Nr Dover in Kent, gained Gold in the Bed and Breakfast category. It was also proud night for the team at Thanet Visitor Information Service in Margate who picked up a Bronze and the magnificent Blenheim Palace was awarded Highly Commended in the Large Visitor Attraction category.
“It is fantastic to see South East businesses being recognised in some of the most competitive and high profile categories at the national awards and to be part of their celebration. To win three Golds shows that the South East has some of the very best tourism businesses and visitor experiences in the country” commented Peter Colling, Managing Director, Tourism South East.
“We have just launched the Beautiful South Awards for 2013-2014 and I would encourage businesses to enter. The Beautiful South Awards are a springboard to the national awards where we will be hoping for even greater success for the South East in 2014.”
List of winners:
Gold:
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
- Beaulieu Enterprises (National Motor Museum, Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey), www.beaulieu.co.uk/
Tourism Pub of the Year
- The Feathered Nest Country Inn, Nether Westcote, Oxfordshrie , www.thefeatherednestinn.co.uk/
Bed & Breakfast / Guest Accommodation of the Year
- Alkham Court Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast, Nr Dover, Kent www.alkhamcourt.co.uk/
Bronze:
Visitor Information Provider of the Year
- Thanet Visitor Information Service, Kent www.visitthanet.co.uk
Highly Commended:
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
- Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire www.blenheimpalace.com/
The Awards are free to enter for Tourism South East members. The Awards are now open for entry and we encourage businesses to start their application at the earliest opportunity. Entry forms can be downloaded here to be submitted by 5pm on Friday 7 June 2013.
The judges will prepare a shortlist of entrants during September with the finalists being announced at a ceremony in November/December, the date and venue will be announced in the coming months.
Click here to see what this year’s finalists said about the Beautiful South Awards.
