28/02/2011

Visit York today announces the fifty three finalists for the 2011 York Tourism Awards in the thirteen categories below. A panel of independent judges will now spend the coming weeks reviewing those shortlisted and the winners will be announced at a black tie awards ceremony to be held at York Racecourse on 6 April.

Now in their 14th year York's Tourism ‘Oscars' recognise excellence in the city's tourism sector. The event, to be compered by BBC Radio York's Adam Tomlinson and sponsored by many of York's leading businesses, will celebrate individuals and companies who offer that extra special service and experience for their visitors.

The highly prized title of York Ambassador, currently held by Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, will be kept a closely guarded secret, revealed only at the Awards ceremony. And new this year is the ‘People's Choice Award', where visitors and residents for the first time ever, are being asked to vote for their favourite York experience.

Gillian Cruddas MBE, Chief Executive of Visit York said,

"We feel it is important to acknowledge and reward exemplary customer service in York. Winning a prestigious York Tourism Award is highly regarded by the city's tourism businesses and these awards are the highlight of the year for York's tourism industry. By rewarding good practice, we are working to continually drive up standards and ensure visitors have a quality experience in York.'

The finalists are as follows:

Hotel of the Year
Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa
The Grange Hotel
Hotel du Vin
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa
York Marriott Hotel

Guest Accommodation of the Year
Carlton House
Low Penhowe
Monkgate Guest House
Warrens Guest House

Self Catering/Caravan Park of the Year
The Dovecote Barns
The Riverside York
Robin Hood Caravan Park
St Peter's Grove Apartment
York City Apartments

Pub/Bar of the Year
The Black Swan Inn
Evil Eye Lounge
House of the Trembling Madness
The Living Room
The Snickleway Inn
The Three Tuns

Taste of York Award
Café Harlequin
The Grange Hotel
Melton's Restaurant
York Racecourse

York & Scarborough Business Tourism Award
Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough
Raven Hall Hotel, Ravenscar
The Royal York Hotel
York Conferences, University of York
York Marriott Hotel

Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50,000 visitors)
Complete Yorkshire
The Ice Factor
Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens & Nurseries
York Pullman Bus Company
Yorkshire Lavender

Visitor Attraction of the Year (50,000 visitors & over)
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
York Dungeon
York Maze
York Racecourse 2010 Race Season
The Yorkshire Museum

Outstanding Customer Service Award
Hotel Chocolat
Robin Hood Caravan Park
The Santa Team - Yorkboat
York Venues, York Museums Trust
York Science Park Ltd Customer Service Assistants

Employee of the Year Award
Rebecca Hardcastle, Dean Court Hotel
Daren Wilkinson, Holiday Inn
Mike Cushing, The Living Room
Julia Betteridge, Middlethorpe Hall & Spa
James Borrow, Xing Smoothies
David Long, York Marriott Hotel

Marketing Campaign of the Year
York Food & Drink Festival
York Maze Halloween
York Theatre Royal

York Tourism Ambassador
To be confirmed at the Awards Ceremony

People's Choice Award
Shortlist to be announced soon

Tickets to the Visit York Tourism Awards event are now on sale priced at £39 + VAT - to register businesses are asked to visit www.visityork.org/awards  ENDS

For further information please contact:
Kay Hyde - PR Manager - Visit York
Direct Line: 01904 554451
Mobile: 07961 828092
Email: kh@visityork.org

Katie Porter - PR Executive - Visit York
Direct Line: 01904 554436
Email: kp@visityork.org

Sponsors of the Visit York Tourism Awards Are:
BBC Radio York, DCS Business Systems, Dodsworth's, Fowlers of York, Fulprint, Leeds Bradford International Airport, Minster FM, MissDeal Fun Casino, Morrell Middleton, New Vision Group, The York Press, P&O Ferries, Pindar, Saville Audio Visual, Ware & Kay, Yorkshire Laundry Services.

Visit York

• Visit York is supported by Welcome to Yorkshire, City of York Council and tourism businesses. Welcome to Yorkshire is charged with improving the Yorkshire and Humber visitor economy.

• Visit York's aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure and business visitor, and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York. Visit York is responsible for leisure and conference marketing, visitor services (running the city's Visitor Information Centre), training and developing the tourism product.

• Visit York is the driving force of the city's tourism industry. Key facts:
7.1 million visitors
£443 million total visitor spend
23,000 jobs