11/01/2011

Visit York has today launched a nationwide search using Facebook and Twitter to find Britain's favourite York experience.  Adding a new twist to York's annual Tourism Awards, this ‘People's Choice' award will be presented along with twelve other awards at a prestigious ceremony at York Racecourse on 6th April 2011. 

Gillian Cruddas MBE, Chief Executive of Visit York said, ‘The annual York Tourism Awards reflect the high quality of customer care given to our city's seven million visitors.  This year we wanted to offer the public the opportunity to have their say.  We will be using Twitter and Facebook to encourage a lively debate on the nation's favourite York experience and we hope everyone will get involved and let us know what makes a visit to York special for them.  We're excited to see what people say.'

Now in their 14th year, the Visit York Tourism Awards celebrate excellence in tourism and in total thirteen tourism Oscars are there for the taking, including Best Hotel, Best Guest House and Best Visitor Attraction.  New categories this year are best pub/bar and Employee of the Year.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, the reigning Tourism Ambassador for York has already joined in the new nationwide search and has nominated his favourite York experience as a visit to York Minster.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu said, ‘York is one of the greatest cities in Britain, with many tourist attractions such as York Minster, the National Railway Museum and the Jorvik Viking Centre. My favourite York experience would be a visit to York Minster which speaks of the glory of God, and the creative imagination of human beings. It is a magnificent building which brings joy to so many people, worshippers, visitors and York residents alike.'

Nomination forms to enter the Visit York Tourism Awards are available at www.visityork.org/awards.  The deadline for entries is 4th February, so businesses are urged to get their entries in and also encourage their guests to nominate them as their ‘York Favourite'.  The top ten ‘York Favourite' experiences will go live on www.visityork.org in mid February when the nation will have the chance to vote for the ultimate winner.  Nominations in no more than 200 words can be made via www.visityork.org, www.facebook.com/visityork, www.twittter.com/visityork or by collecting a form from the Visit York Information Centre at 1 Museum Street.  Everyone who nominates their favourite York Experience will have the chance to win a luxury stay in the city. ENDS

Event and Ticket Information:
Date - Wednesday 6 April 2011
Venue - York Racecourse
Time - 6.30pm until late
Ticket price - £39 + VAT
Dress Code - Black Tie

My York Favourite - The People's Choice Award
With so much to see and do in York visitors to the city are being asked to nomniate their favourite York experience; it could be anything from a favourite restaurant to a favourite visitor attraction, a favourite shop or a favourite event, a favourite hotel or a favourite bar. The top ten ‘favourites' as nominated by the nation will be listed on www.visityork.org and the public will then be able to vote for the ultimate winning experience, to be announced on 6 April. All entrants whose nominations make it into the top ten will have the chance to win a luxury break in York.

York Ambassador
This award goes to an individual who consistently goes out of his or her way to support York's tourism industry; it might for example be someone who ensures visitors have a memorable time in York and leave wanting to revisit or it could be someone who represents the city across the globe. Previous ambassadors have included Sister Agatha of the oldest working convent in England; the Bar Convent, Dyon Bekatorus, taxi driver with Streamline taxis and Syd Heppel, the only surviving founding member of the Association of York Voluntary guides. The reigning Tourism Ambassador is Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York.

Categories in the Visit York Annual Tourism Awards 2011

‘My York Favourite' - The People's Choice Award
York Ambassador
Outstanding Customer Service of the Year
Employee of the Year
Hotel of the Year
Guest House Accommodation of the Year
Self Catering/Caravan Park of the Year
Visitor Attraction (under 50,000 visits) of the Year
Visitor Attraction (over 50,000 visits) of the Year
York and Scarborough Business Tourism Award
Taste of York Award
Marketing Campaign of the Year
Pub/Bar of the Year