VisitEngland has announced the winners of its annual Awards for Excellence 2023, celebrating the tourism industry’s brightest stars.

The 20 Gold Award winners were announced at an evening ceremony on 7 June hosted by Alex Polizzi at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, in categories ranging from ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’ and ‘B&B and Guest House of the Year’ to ‘Business Events Venue of the Year’ and ‘Experience of the Year.’ The Gold, Silver and Bronze winners were selected from hundreds of tourism businesses across England including hotels, self-catering accommodation, B&Bs, glamping operators, attractions, restaurants, pubs and museums.

The prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, running for more than 30 years and in 2023 sponsored by the Caravan and Motorhome Club, celebrate and champion innovation, quality and best practice across the industry recognising businesses and individuals who raise the bar of England’s tourism offer.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:
“It is fantastic to come together as an industry to celebrate our world-class tourism businesses. Competition this year was fierce with customer service excellence evident across every category, thanks to the passion and dedication of individuals.

“From an outdoor theatre in Suffolk to a boutique B&B in Essex, from an arboretum museum in Staffordshire, a zoo farm in Bristol, to island boat tours in Northumberland, this year’s awards also showcase the wonderful range of quality tourism products on offer across England.

“I congratulate all the winners and especially those who won Gold, an achievement cementing their place as the country’s crème de la crème, standard-bearers for England’s tourism industry.”

In addition to the 16 core categories award winners, four special awards were also presented this year including an ‘Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award,’ a ‘Travel Content Award’, a ‘Tourism Superstar Award’ and a ‘TXGB Trailblazer Award’.

The Tourism Superstar Award went to Geoff Colvin. Geoff, a volunteer stationmaster at the Kent and East Sussex Railway, was the winner of the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar 2023 run in partnership with the Mirror, following a public vote and competition earlier this year.

The Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award went to ‘England’s Coast’ in recognition of its valuable role in boosting domestic and inbound tourism to England.

The Travel Content Award, which recognises the media’s important contribution in championing domestic tourism, was won by Alicia Miller of The Independent with her story ‘How to do a classic Cotswolds weekend, car-free.’

The TXGB Trailblazer Award went to Red Funnel, Isle of Wight, in recognition of its efforts in driving inbound bookings through the business-to-business platform, also benefitting the domestic market.
Tra
Tourism is one of England’s largest and most valuable industries, supporting hundreds of thousands of businesses, employing about 2.6 million people and, in 2019, generating £76 billion in domestic visitor spending.

Click below to see the full list of VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023 winners:

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award:

GOLD – Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Bristol www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk

SILVER – Brickhouse Farm Holiday Cottages & Lakeside Hub, Lancashire www.brickhousecottages.co.uk

BRONZE – WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge

 

B&B and Guest House of the Year:

GOLD – Piglets Boutique B&B, Essex www.piglets.co.uk

SILVER – Cedar Manor, Cumbria www.cedarmanor.co.uk

BRONZE – Sunnyside Guest House, Merseyside www.sunnysidesouthport.co.uk

 

Business Events Venue of the Year:

GOLD – National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire www.thenma.org.uk/hold-your-event/the-aspects-building

SILVER – Imago Venues, Leicestershire www.imagovenues.co.uk

BRONZE – The ICC Birmingham, West Midlands www.theicc.co.uk

 

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year:

GOLD – The Quiet Site, Cumbria www.thequietsite.co.uk

SILVER – Brook Meadow, Leicestershire www.brookmeadow.co.uk

BRONZE – Hendra Holiday Park, Cornwall www.Hendra-holidays.com

 

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award:

GOLD – Pure Outdoor, Derbyshire www.pureoutdoor.co.uk

SILVER – National Forest EBike Holidays, Leicestershire www.ebikeholiday.co.uk

BRONZE – The Cottages at Blackadon Farm, Devon www.cottagesatblackadonfarm.co.uk

 

Experience of the Year:

GOLD – Grey Seal and Seabird Cruise, Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours, Northumberland www.farneislandstours.co.uk

SILVER – Make Your Own Gin Experience, Shed 1 Gin Distillery, Cumbria www.shed1distillery.com

BRONZE – Peak District Walking Experience, myGuidedWalks, Derbyshire www.myguidedwalks.co.uk

 

Large Hotel of the Year:

GOLD – Titanic Hotel Liverpool, Merseyside www.titanichotelliverpool.com

SILVER – Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort, Wiltshire www.bowood.org/hotel

BRONZE – Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort, County Durham www.rockliffehall.com

 

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year:

GOLD – Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Hertfordshire www.wbstudiotour.co.uk

SILVER –  Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire www.blenheimpalace.com

BRONZE – International Bomber Command Centre, Lincolnshire www.internationalbcc.co.uk

 

New Tourism Business of the Year:

GOLD  – Thorington Theatre, Suffolk www.thoringtontheatre.co.uk

SILVER – Bassenthwaite Lake Station, Cumbria www.bassenthwaitelakestation.com

BRONZE – Great British Car Journey, Derbyshire www.greatbritishcarjourney.com

 

 Pub of the Year:

GOLD – The Blind Bull, Derbyshire www.theblindbull.co.uk

SILVER – The Shoe, Hampshire www.theshoeexton.co.uk

BRONZE – The Duncombe Arms, Staffordshire www.duncombearms.co.uk

 

Resilience and Innovation Award:

GOLD – St Luke’s Bombed Out Church C.I.C., Merseyside www.slboc.com

SILVER – Langley Castle Hotel, Northumberland www.langleycastle.co.uk

BRONZE – Healing Manor Hotel, Lincolnshire www.healingmanorhotel.co.uk

 

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year:

GOLD – Kidlandlee Holiday Cottages, Northumberland www.kidlandlee.co.uk

SILVER – The Dovecote Barns, North Yorkshire www.dovecotebarnsyork.co.uk

BRONZE – Eaton Manor Country Estate, Shropshire www.eatonmanor.co.uk

 

Small Hotel of the Year:

GOLD – Askham Hall, Cumbria www.askhamhall.co.uk

SILVER – THE PIG-at Combe, Devon www.thepighotel.com/at-combe/

BRONZE – Wildhive Callow Hall, Derbyshire www.wildhive.uk

 

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year:

GOLD – Watatunga Wildlife Reserve, Norfolk www.watatunga.co.uk

SILVER – Muncaster Castle, Gardens and Hawk & Owl Centre, Cumbria www.muncaster.co.uk

BRONZE – PK Porthcurno, Cornwall www.pkporthcurno.com

 

Taste of England Award:

GOLD – Pensons Restaurant at the Netherwood Estate, Worcestershire www.pensons.co.uk

SILVER – The Unruly Pig, Suffolk www.theunrulypig.co.uk

BRONZE – The Glasshouse Restaurant, Hampshire www.oakleyhall-park.com/dine-drink/glasshouse-restaurant/

 

Unsung Hero Award:

GOLD – Michael Wilson, Official Guide to the Kent Estuary, Guide Over Sands Trust, Cumbria

SILVER – Marie Colgrave, Welcome Building Supervisor, Whitchurch Silk Mill, Hampshire

BRONZE – Carol Adams, Head of Horticulture & Biodiversity, Trentham, Staffordshire

 

The TXGB Trailblazer Award:

GOLD – Red Funnel, Isle of Wight www.redfunnel.co.uk

SILVER – New Adventures, Tyne & Wear & Northumberland www.newadventures.org.uk

BRONZE – Cotswolds Tourism, Cotswolds www.cotswolds.com

 

Travel Content Award:

GOLD – Alicia Miller, The Independent – How to do a classic Cotswolds weekend, car-free

SILVER – Ben Lerwill, National Geographic Traveller – How art and ancient history collide on a hike through Deal, Dover and Folkestone

BRONZE – Paul Healy, Anywhere We Roam –A wild getaway in Swaledale – the unspoilt valley in the Yorkshire Dales

 

Tourism Superstar:
Geoff Colvin, Chief Stationmaster, Kent & East Sussex Railway

 

Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award:
England’s Coast