Which Categories?
Here is a short description of the awards categories for 2011/12. Most awards have entry criteria, so please read carefully to make sure that you fulfil the criteria. And remember, there may be more than one category you are eligible to enter.
Outstanding Customer Service
For an individual or team within a tourism business that has stood out in delivering outstanding customer service.
Tourism Event of the Year
For a successful festival or special event that can demonstrate it has grown in visitor numbers, provides an outstanding experience to visitors and contributes to the local community.
Best Tourism Experience
For tourism businesses such as activity providers that don’t fit into any other category and which can demonstrate that they have gone the extra mile to deliver an outstanding and innovative customer experience.
Large Hotel/Townhouse of the Year
For Hotels, Town House Hotels, Country House Hotels and Metro Hotels with over 35 bedrooms and a current quality assessment from a recognised independent body. (If you have between 35 and 50 bedrooms you can choose between the Large and Small Hotel categories, depending on which description you feel best matches your establishment).
Small Hotel/Townhouse of the Year
For Hotels, Town House Hotels, Country House Hotels and Metro Hotels with under 50 bedrooms and a current quality assessment from a recognised independent body. (If you have between 35 and 50 bedrooms you can choose between the Large and Small Hotel categories, depending on which description you feel best matches your establishment).
Bed and Breakfast, Guest Accommodation of the Year
For Guest Accommodation, including B&Bs, farmhouses, inns, restaurants with rooms and guesthouses offering a high standard of accommodation. Properties must have a current quality assessment from a recognised independent body.
Self Catering and Serviced Apartments
For self-catering accommodation, serviced apartments, narrow boats or cruisers that offer an excellent standard. Properties must have a current quality assessment from a recognised independent body.
Caravan Holiday Park and Holiday Village of the Year
For caravan holiday parks, holiday and touring parks, camping and touring parks and holiday villages that have boosted business by making the most of their distinctive appeal. Properties must have a current quality assessment from a recognised independent body.
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Visitor attractions with over 50,000 visitors that go that extra mile to ensure their visitors have a really enjoyable experience. The category covers a wide range of attractions including those that offer pre-booked tickets, house museums, garden shops, interpretation centres, theme parks, historic houses and castles. Venues that are open only on specific days for special events are not eligible for entry. Attractions must be signed up to the Code of Practice for visitor attractions or be part of VAQAS.
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Visitor attractions with fewer than 50,000 visitors that go that extra mile to ensure their visitors have a really enjoyable experience. The category covers a wide range of attractions as listed above in the Large Visitor Attraction Category. Venues that are open only on specific days for special events are not eligible for entry. Attractions must be signed up to the Code of Practice for visitor attractions or be part of VAQAS.
Business Tourism
For quality tourism businesses that are aimed at the corporate sector, for example event and exhibition venues, convention hotels, conference and banqueting venues.
Sustainable Tourism
For businesses that can demonstrate achievements in making their business sustainable, through a combination of environmental, community and communications initiatives.
Access for All Tourism
For tourism businesses including attractions, leisure facilities, restaurants, transport and accommodation that go the extra mile to ensure their facilities are accessible to all.
Tourism Information Service of the Year
This category is open to Tourist Information Centres as well as other providers of face-to-face or electronic information to visitors whilst away from home.
Flavour of the South East
This award is open to all sectors of the tourism industry that serve excellent food, using local produce with regional dishes as part of their business. For example, pubs, restaurants, cafes as well as attractions with exceptional food and drink outlets. Entrants must appeal to tourism visitors and must be committed to sourcing produce from local producers and communicating this to visitors, as well as making positive steps to contribute to their local economy.
Sport Tourism
Any sports tourism business or tourism business where sport forms a key part of the customer offer. The category is open to both businesses offering visitors an active or participative sports activity, and those providing an opportunity to watch sports as a spectator.
Entrants must be able to provide clear evidence that their sports tourism product attracts visitors, ie customers for the product or service who are not solely local people. Definition of visitors/tourists includes day visitors (more than one and a half hours’ drive time from the location, including visiting friends and relatives), overseas and domestic overnight visitors (short breaks and holiday), and business tourists.
Businesses must also demonstrate commitment to encouraging sustainable active participation in sport (including by spectator sports-based businesses). This could include evidence of encouraging/achieving repeat visits and of encouraging ongoing participation after the experience/visit.
Examples could include:
Active/participative sports tourism: eg sports holiday companies, businesses offering sports activities such as cycling, sailing, windsurfing, golf, horse riding, canoeing, hiking, rock climbing, dry ski slopes, sand surfing, go-karting - or regular events which attract repeat visitors.
Spectator sports tourism: sports events, venues\stadiums, festivals.
Plus tourism businesses offering ‘added value’ sports activities as part of their guest/visitor offer such as accommodation providers offering golf holidays or opportunities to try out or enjoy other sports.
Short-listed entries will demonstrate outstanding quality of Sports Tourism product/service in terms of overall customer experience; a commitment to encouraging sustained participation in sport.
For example, a spectator sport product such as a festival or major sporting event must provide evidence of proactive initiatives to encourage audiences to participate in sport, such as taster or ‘come and try’ sessions.
‘Active sports’ providers will demonstrate how they are proactively encouraging customers to continue to participate in the sport in the future.
Short-listed entries are likely to demonstrate high quality in products and facilities, outstanding customer service and a commitment to innovation that has delivered a major impact.
