VisitEngland Awards for Excellence: award categories
The 25
Introduction
The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence celebrate the nation’s leading tourism and visitor-focused businesses – from small bed and breakfasts to large attractions and business events venues.
The process begins when you apply to your local tourism awards. You can enter as many categories as you wish, as long as your business fits the entry criteria. The overall winners of core local categories are automatically submitted to the national judging, culminating in the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence event.
You must enter your local tourism awards competition for the opportunity to progress to national judging. Read the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence FAQs.
The local awards structure
Most regional awards contests offer both local and core awards. A local category is only offered by the regional competition, meaning that recognition is only available at a local level. Meanwhile, core category winners are put forward to national judging.
Within the core categories, there are two types of awards:
- Business-led: those that highlight the best businesses in a particular sector, for example the Small Hotel of the Year award.
- Market-led: those that highlight businesses who really understand their target audience, for example the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award.
The core categories are set by VisitEngland’s Tourism Awards Steering Group, and reviewed annually to reflect the latest industry structure and market trends.
Local and national awards core categories
All local competitions aligned with the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024 must offer the following categories:
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - B&B and Guest House of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - B&B and Guest House of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Small Hotel of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Small Hotel of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Large Hotel of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Large Hotel of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Self Catering Accommodation of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Self Catering Accommodation of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Pub of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Pub of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Experience of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Experience of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - New Tourism Business of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - New Tourism Business of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Taste of England Award
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Taste of England Award
Local competitions are required to offer at least two of these five categories:
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Unsung Hero Award
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Unsung Hero Award
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Business Events Venue of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - Business Events Venue of the Year
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - International Tourism Award
VEAE 2024/25 Application Form - International Tourism Award
Special award categories
The national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence also include a selection of special prizes. The winners are determined by VisitEngland, with the exception of Tourism Superstar, which is decided by public vote in partnership with The Mirror.
Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award
This coveted award is given every year by the VisitEngland Advisory Board, to an individual or institution that has contributed something special and unique to tourism in England.
Through their work during the previous year, the recipients of this award have supported our mission and highlighted tourism’s contribution and value to our nation’s economy, employment, environment and quality of life.
Previous winners include Her Majesty The Queen, English pubs, BBC Countryfile, The Premier League and England’s National Parks.
In 2023, the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award was awarded to England’s Coast.
Tourism Superstar
The annual Tourism Superstar prize recognises the dedication and passion of those working in the tourism industry, and is awarded to an individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty.
Run in partnership with The Mirror, the campaign champions careers in tourism for people of all ages, and promotes quality, customer service and excellence within England’s tourism industry.
Now in its 11th year, Tourism Superstar celebrates individuals in the tourism industry who go the extra mile to ensure that visitors to England have an unforgettable experience. Nominees are passionate about where they work and the destination they live in, and consistently set the bar high for the standard of service in England’s tourism industry.
Travel Content Award
This award recognises the important contribution that media and influencers make in championing the array of great experiences on offer across England.
TXGB Trailblazer Award
This prize recognises businesses that work with TXGB and who have led the way in pioneering new initiatives, increasing economic impact and driving awareness to connect with the TXGB platform. It is shortlisted and awarded directly by TXGB.
Apply now
Apply now
Useful information
Local competitions are required to offer at least two of the following categories: Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award, Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award, Unsung Hero Award and Business Events Venue of the Year.
In addition, local awards competitions may choose to offer extra categories which do not feed up to the national awards, such as Event of the Year, which are specific to that destination.
Local competitions may choose to combine certain core categories. For example, instead of running both Small Visitor Attraction of the Year and Large Visitor Attraction of the Year awards, a single Visitor Attraction of the Year category may be offered. The winner would be put forward to the most relevant category at national level. The combined categories are: Hotel of the Year, Small Serviced Accommodation Provider of the Year, Visitor Attraction of the Year, Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year and Self Catering Accommodation of the Year.
Local competitions may choose to split certain categories. For example, the Taste of England Award category could be split into Restaurant of the Year and Tearoom of the Year at local level, with an overall winner selected and put forward for the national Taste of England Award. Also, the Taste of England Award name may be changed to reflect the local destination, for example Taste of Cumbria Award.
Local competition organisers and VisitEngland reserve the right to refuse an application if the business does not meet the eligibility criteria, or to move an application to another category if deemed more appropriate.
In certain circumstances, a local competition may not carry a mandatory core category if there is deemed to be insufficient stock in the area. For example, an urban awards competition may not carry the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year category.
Terms and conditions vary by local competition.
