VisitEngland has today, 1 April, announced the finalists who will go forward to the tourism industry’s national Awards for Excellence, with five North East England businesses in the mix.
The 52 finalists, selected following a rigorous judging process by handpicked tourism industry experts, go on to compete in 16 core categories at the national awards in June.
The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence have been championing the best in England’s tourism industry for more than three decades and celebrate quality, innovation, best practice and exceptional customer service.
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:
“England’s tourism industry has good reason to celebrate. As the finalists demonstrate, businesses across every region provide outstanding customer service along with high quality experiences while constantly innovating to find new ways to give more to visitors and the communities they serve.
“The applications to this year’s awards and the list of finalists are a testament to the range of first-class products on offer to both domestic and international visitors. I congratulate all the finalists who are already winners, and I wish them the very best of luck.”
The awards’ categories range from ‘B&B and Guest House of the Year’ and ‘Experience of the Year’ to ‘Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year’ and ‘Large and Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’. In addition to the 16 core categories, two special awards are also being presented including a ‘Travel Content Award’ and the ‘Tourism Superstar Award’.
This year’s awards worked in collaboration with 21 local competitions from across England with winners automatically put forward for the national awards.
There were 1,800 applications to the 21 aligned local awards with 360 applicants forwarded for judging in the VisitEngand Awards for Excellence. These were made up of businesses including hotels, self-catering accommodation providers, B&Bs, glamping operators, visitor attractions, restaurants, pubs and museums.
Finalists are invited to attend the national awards ceremony, held at the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on 4 June, where Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will be announced at the black tie event.
Tourism is one of England’s largest, most valuable industries, supporting more than 200,000 businesses, employing 2.6 million people and generating about £76 billion in domestic visitor spending.
VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 finalists:
Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award:
Eureka! Science + Discovery, Merseyside
Marsham Court Hotel, Dorset
The Courtyard Trust Limited, Herefordshire
B&B and Guest House of the Year:
Abbots Grange Manor House, Worcestershire
Boscastle House, Cornwall
Sunnyside Guest House Southport, Merseyside
Business Events Venue of the Year:
Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement, Cheshire
Keele University Events and Conferencing, Staffordshire
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Tyne & Wear
Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year:
Hippersons Boatyard, Suffolk
Mendip Basecamp, Somerset
Polmanter Touring Park, Cornwall
Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award sponsored by Sykes Holiday Cottages :
Battlesteads, Northumberland
Sunnyside Guest House Southport, Merseyside
The Quiet Site, Cumbria
Experience of the Year:
Cow Cuddling, Dumble Farm, East Riding of Yorkshire
Introduction to Sailing, Mylor Sailing School, Cornwall
The Wizard Walk of York, North Yorkshire
International Tourism Award:
St Mary’s Guildhall, West Midlands
The Beatles Story, Merseyside
World of Wedgwood, Staffordshire
Large Hotel of the Year sponsored by Ecclesiastical:
Mallory Court Hotel & Spa, Warwickshire
Sandburn Hall, North Yorkshire
Titanic Hotel Liverpool, Merseyside
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year sponsored by Raw Charging Network Ltd:
Black Country Living Museum, West Midlands
Liverpool Football Club Tours & Experiences, Merseyside
National Space Centre, Leicestershire
New Tourism Business of the Year:
Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum & Whisky Distillery, Northumberland
Eight at Gazegill by Doug Crampton, Lancashire
Eureka! Science + Discovery, Merseyside
Pub of the Year:
The Blind Bull, Derbyshire
The Farmers Arms, Devon
The Griffin Inn, Leicestershire
Self Catering Accommodation of the Year sponsored by Sykes Holiday Cottages:
Trevase Cottages, Herefordshire
Treworgey Cottages, Cornwall
Wolf Wood Treehouses, Devon
Small Hotel of the Year:
Seaham Hall, County Durham
Summer Lodge Hotel, Dorset
The Montagu Arms Hotel, Hampshire
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year:
King Richard III Visitor Centre, Leicestershire
No.1 Royal Crescent, Somerset
Sculpture by the Lakes, Dorset
Taste of England Award:
Searcys at The Pump Room, Somerset
The Cavendish Hotel, Derbyshire
The Riverside at Aymestrey, Herefordshire
Unsung Hero Award:
Andrew Hurley, Avoncroft Museum, Worcestershire
Hannah Clapp, Muncaster Castle, Cumbria
Caitlin Brown, The Escape Key, Tyne & Wear