Here they are – the tourism businesses at the top of their game.
Finalists in the Visit York Tourism Awards 2019 were revealed today (Thursday 4 April), during English Tourism Week.
The 57 businesses will go head to head to win one of 16 trophies, and be named best in York.
The prestigious awards will return on Thursday 20 June to shine a spotlight on excellence in York’s tourism sector and reward outstanding service, innovation and quality.
The event is a fantastic platform to showcase tourism businesses to a 450 strong audience from across York’s tourism sector. There are 16 categories, including two new ones: Tourism Supplier of the Year and Innovation in Tourism.
These prestigious ‘Tourism Oscars of the North’, sponsored by LNER will be compered by Minster FM Breakfast Presenter Ben Fry and held in the Great Hall of the National Railway Museum, where guests will rub shoulders with railway legends, from history-makers to record-breakers.
Paul Whiting, Head of Visit York, a part of Make It York, said:
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York’s tourism sector is vibrant and flourishing.
Together we’re committed to offering the highest quality of hospitality and experience to our 6.9 million visitors every year.
These awards will reward those businesses who are truly exceptional in their field.
The finalists
The Whippet Inn
The Chopping Block
Roots York
Vaqueiros Brazilian Rodízio
Visitor Attraction of the Year (over 50K visitors)
City Cruises York
Flamingo Land Resort
JORVIK Viking Centre
The York Dungeon
Yorkshire Museum
Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50K visitors)
The Black Sheep Brewery Visitor Centre
The Ghost Bus Tours
World of James Herriot
York Army Museum
Guided Tour of the Year
Castle Howard
City Cruises York
The Bloody Tour of York
York’s Chocolate Story
Pub or Bar of the Year
Cut & Chase
Walmgate Ale House
The Whippet Inn
Shop of the Year
Demijohn
The Balloon Tree Farmshop & Café
The Shop That Must Not Be Named
Wild & Westbrooke
Bed & Breakfast or Guest House of the Year
No. 21 York
Tower Guest House
Conference Venue of the Year
The Grand, York
The Principal York
York Racecourse
Innovation in Tourism
Castle Howard
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre
The Grand, York
Yorkshire Museum
Newcomer of the Year
Roots York
Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre
The Enchantment Chamber
Café or Tearoom or the Year
Crumbs Cupcakery
The Principal Hotel Garden Room
The Balloon Tree Farmshop & Café
The Countess of York
Hotel of the Year
Grays Court Hotel
Hotel Indigo York
The Black Swan Hotel
The Grand, York
The Principal York
Tourism Supplier of the Year
Biffa
Pick & Mix Marketing
Pyper York
York Gin
Self-Catering Venue of the Year
Studford Luxury Lodges
The House at Crooked End
York Old Brewery
Visitor Experience of the Year
The Bloody Tour of York
JORVIK Viking Festival
Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre
York Maze Hallowscream
Tourism Champion 2019
To be revealed at the awards ceremony
The Tourism Champion award category is in recognition of an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to York’s Tourism Industry. The winner will be revealed on the night.
Tickets for the event go on sale on Friday 12 April at 9am.