VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012

Today, VisitEngland the national tourist board launches the new ‘VisitEngland Awards for Excellence' website, www.visitenglandawards.org. For the first time the awards, formerly known as the EnjoyEngland Awards for Excellence, are being promoted directly to tourism businesses in England.

James Berresford, Chief Executive of VisitEngland explains;
"'The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence' are open to tourism businesses, tourism support organisations and the thousands of excellent people who work in them. In previous years the awards have consisted of a series of sub-regional heats leading to a national final. Due to a number of changes within the tourism industry at sub-national level, we have reviewed the management of the awards. This has been done to ensure that all businesses in all parts of the country have an opportunity to participate. Businesses without a local awards can, therefore, for the first time apply direct via the new website.

Businesses which have access to local or regional awards should follow this route first. The website will automatically direct applicants to local and regional awards where they exist. Those businesses which do not have access to local awards will be able to apply directly via the website.

The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence play an extremely important role in showcasing the fantastic range of high quality experiences we offer visitors here in England, no matter what their budget. The awards have had a hugely positive impact on tourism in England firstly acknowledging the great breadth of product on offer in England, and secondly providing a benchmark for the industry to aspire to.

The website has been designed by Glasgows who have been appointed by VisitEngland to promote and manage the new style awards programme. Commenting on the website Ron Glasgow, Project Lead for the new award scheme, said;

"The website is central to our objective of promoting the awards direct to the tourism industry, encouraging applications with an online application entry platform and also sourcing sponsorship. We have developed a creative, welcoming style which includes two special ‘talking head' videos.

The website includes a video message to the industry from John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism and Heritage and a video message from James Berresford.