24/01/2012

The search is on once more for the best places to stay, visit, eat and drink in York, with the launch of the 2012 Visit York annual Tourism Awards. From the best hotel to the best visitor attraction, every year the awards celebrate the top businesses in York in the city's all important tourism industry. Winners of the Visit York awards will have the chance to then go forward to the regional White Rose and national Enjoy England for Excellence Awards.

John Yeomans, Chairman of Visit York said, ‘Our Tourism Awards promote healthy industry competition and high standards, helping to ensure York continues to be recognised as a world-class city destination, alongside our key competitors in Europe. It has never been more important for a business to be able to stand above its competitors and these awards are a fantastic way of showing you are the pick of the crop.'

Entries are now being sought in thirteen categories including: Hotel of the Year; Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50,000 visitors); Visitor Attraction of the Year (50,000 visitors & over); Guest Accommodation of the Year; Self Catering/Caravan Park of the Year; Outstanding Customer Service Award; Business Tourism Award; Pub/Bar of the Year; Marketing Campaign of the Year; Employee of the Year; Taste of York Award and the highly prized title of Tourism Ambassador. To highlight York's important retail sector, which generates over £100million annual spend from visitors each year, a new award of Best Shopping Experience will also be hotly contested.

A panel of independent judges including the Sheriff's Lady Ann Deller, will decide on the final shortlist and for the first time this year the public is being asked to vote for its favourite ‘Taste of York'. Be it your favourite place for a cappuccino or a romantic dinner for two, Visit York is keen to hear your views - vote at www.visityork.org/awards or www.facebook.com/visityork or www.twitter.com/visityork using #tasteofyork.

Winners will be announced on 26th April at a black tie Awards ceremony at the National Railway Museum. Reigning Tourism Ambassador Ivan Martin said, ‘I was thrilled to win the tourism ambassador title and have enjoyed my year in office, helping to spread the word about York across the globe. These awards are a fantastic way not only of celebrating the hard work and dedication of staff but add a kudos and prestige to help promote your business.' The deadline for entries is 3rd February 2012 and businesses can enter by downloading an application form from www.visityork.org/awards, emailing ar@visityork.org or by calling Alison Ruddick, Awards Organiser on 01904 554458. Tickets cost £39 + VAT. 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

Visit York

• Visit York works in partnership with 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

Notes To the Editor:

Tourism Ambassador Award
This award goes to an individual who consistently goes out of his or her way to ensure visitors have a memorable time in York and leave wanting to revisit. Previous winners have included a bus driver, a taxi driver and a tour guide. The 2011 winner was Ivan Martin, Chairman of the Association of Voluntary Guides, whose tireless efforts over many years have raised the profile of York around the world.

2011 Visit York Tourism Award Winners

• Hotel of the Year, The Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa
• Guest Accommodation of the Year, Low Penhowe
• Self Catering/Caravan Park of the Year, The Riverside York
• Pub of the Year, The Black Swan Inn & House of the Trembling Madness
• Taste of York Award, Melton's Restaurant
• York & Scarborough Business Tourism Award, Raven Hall Hotel, Ravenscar
• Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50,000 visitors), Yorkshire Lavender
• Visitor Attraction of the Year (50,000 visitors and over), Yorkshire Museum
• Outstanding Customer Service Award, Hotel Chocolat
• Employee of the Year, James Borrow, Xing Smoothies
• Marketing Campaign, York Theatre Royal, for the Wind in the Willows
• My York Favourite - the People's Choice Award - York Maze
• Tourism Ambassador, Ivan Martin and the Association of Voluntary Guides