VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024: Celebrating the Pinnacle of Tourism

Published on July 9, 2024

The prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 took center stage on June 5 at the Rum Warehouse, Titanic Hotel Liverpool. This annual black-tie event, hosted by VisitEngland Chairman Lady Victoria Borwick, was a grand celebration attended by over 200 guests. The evening recognized the best in England’s tourism industry across 19 diverse categories.

The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence are known for showcasing unparalleled quality in England’s tourism sector. This year, the awards celebrated exceptional achievements in categories such as ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year,’ ‘B&B and Guest House of the Year,’ ‘Business Events Venue of the Year,’ and ‘Experience of the Year.’

Andrew Stokes, VisitEngland Director, lauded the winners, stating, “The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence highlight the exceptional quality available across England. The passion and dedication of individuals in this industry drive customer service excellence, which was evident in every category.”

From a wizard walk in York to a boutique hotel in East Sussex, and from a glamping site in Lancashire to a dinosaur adventure park in Norfolk, the awards highlighted the diverse and high-quality tourism products England has to offer. The winners were chosen from hundreds of tourism businesses across the country, each forwarded through 16 local and regional competitions.

A Night of Recognition and Celebration

The event was hosted by Alex Polizzi from Channel 5’s The Hotel Inspector, with Alan Dedicoat, the voice of the BBC’s National Lottery and Strictly Come Dancing, providing commentary on the finalists. The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, sponsored by the Caravan and Motorhome Club, have been running for over 35 years. They celebrate and champion innovation, quality, and best practices in the industry.

In addition to the main categories, four special awards were presented, including the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award,’ ‘Travel Content Award,’ ‘Tourism Superstar Award,’ and the ‘TXGB Trailblazer Award.’ This year, the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism award was given to the City of Liverpool for hosting the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

Tourism’s Significant Impact on England’s Economy

Tourism is a vital part of England’s economy, supporting over 200,000 businesses and employing approximately 2.6 million people. In 2023, domestic visitor spending generated £70.2 billion. The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 highlighted the critical role tourism plays and the commitment to maintaining high standards in the industry.

VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 Winners

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award:

• GOLD: Hoe Grange Holidays, Derbyshire
• SILVER: ROARR!, Norfolk
• BRONZE: Colchester Castle, Essex

B&B and Guest House of the Year:

• GOLD: The Bosham Boathouse B&B, West Sussex
• SILVER: MonkBridge House, North Yorkshire
• BRONZE: Bossington Hall, Somerset

Business Events Venue of the Year:

• GOLD: Telford International Centre, Shropshire
• SILVER: Warwick Conferences, West Midlands
• BRONZE: Winter Gardens Blackpool, Lancashire

Camping, Glamping, and Holiday Park of the Year:

• GOLD: The Secret Garden Glamping, Lancashire
• SILVER: Kits Coty Glamping, Kent
• BRONZE: Darwin Forest Lodges, Derbyshire

Ethical, Responsible, and Sustainable Tourism Award:

• GOLD: Mill Farm Eco Barns, Norfolk
• SILVER: Kent Wildlife Trust, Kent
• BRONZE: The Yan at Broadrayne, Cumbria

Experience of the Year:

• GOLD: Grey Seal & Seabird Cruise, Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours, Northumberland
• SILVER: York Ghost Walk, The Deathly Dark Tours, North Yorkshire
• BRONZE: Mountain Bike Taster Day, Pure Outdoor, Derbyshire

Large Hotel of the Year:

• GOLD: The Grand, York, North Yorkshire
• SILVER: Hope Street Hotel, Merseyside
• BRONZE: Rockliffe Hall Hotel, County Durham

Small Hotel of the Year:

• GOLD: The Gallivant, East Sussex
• SILVER: Wildhive Callow Hall, Derbyshire
• BRONZE: THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay, Cornwall

New Tourism Business of the Year:

• GOLD: The Wizard Walk of York, North Yorkshire
• SILVER: Sleepy Owl Devon, Devon
• BRONZE: Boys Hall, Kent

Pub of the Year:

• GOLD: The Peterville Inn, Cornwall
• SILVER: The Acorn Inn, Dorset
• BRONZE: The Red Fox, Merseyside

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year:

• GOLD: Sleepy Owl Devon, Devon
• SILVER: My Cottages in St Ives, Cornwall
• BRONZE: Bethnal&Bec, Hertfordshire

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year:

• GOLD: Nothe Fort, Dorset
• SILVER: Cotswolds Distillery, Warwickshire
• BRONZE: The Battle of Britain Memorial, Kent

Taste of England Award:

• GOLD: Allium at Askham Hall, Cumbria
• SILVER: Blackfriars Restaurant, Tyne & Wear
• BRONZE: La Locanda, Lancashire

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year:

• GOLD: WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire
• SILVER: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Hertfordshire
• BRONZE: ROARR!, Norfolk

Unsung Hero Award:

• GOLD: Katie Calder, V-ATE Automotive Smokehouse and Bowl, Lincolnshire
• GOLD: Duncan Wise, Northumberland National Park Authority, Northumberland
• SILVER: Brett Hawkes, Crowhurst Park, East Sussex

Special Awards:

Tourism Superstar:

• WINNER: Pete Chambers, Coventry Music Museum, West Midlands

Travel Content Writer:

• GOLD: Ben Aitken, The Guardian
• SILVER: Liz Edwards, The Times
• BRONZE: Richard Franks, JRNY Travel Magazine

TXGB Trailblazer Award:

• WINNER: National Lottery Days Out Campaign

Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award:

• WINNER: Host of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, The City of Liverpool