West Midlands Tourism Awards 2025 – United Kingdom

Deadline: 8 July 2024

Applications are now open for the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2025.

The Awards celebrate the success and accomplishments of tourism businesses across the West Midlands region and promote the impressive strength of the business and leisure tourism offer, its venues, people, experiences and accommodation.

Supported by the West Midlands Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board (THAB) and the West Midlands Growth Company – which attracts visitors, events, capital and investment to the region.

Awards Categories

The overall winners of these categories at the local level (WMTA) are automatically put forward for national judging, culminating in the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence event.
- Cross sector categories, open to all business types:
  - Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award
    - Recognises tourism businesses providing truly memorable visitor experiences for everyone, particularly those with accessibility requirements, and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business.
  - Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award
    - Recognises tourism businesses committed to being sustainable, responsible and ethical in how they operate and interact with customers, the wider community and the environment.
  - New Tourism Business Award
    - Recognises high performing new tourism businesses, demonstrating excellent understanding of their market, exceeding the expectations of their customers with clear plans for future development.
Business type categories:
- Business Events Venue of the Year
  - Recognises business events venues that demonstrate an excellent understanding of the market, exceeding the expectations of their clients and have a strategic plan for future development within this area, with clear goals.
- Camping, Glamping, Holiday Park of the Year
  - Recognises camping, glamping, holiday parks, sites and villages providing truly memorable guest experiences and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business.
- Experience of the Year
  - Recognises providers of truly memorable and immersive activities for visitors to participate in.
- Large Hotel of the Year
  - Recognises full service hotels providing truly memorable guest experiences and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business.
- Small Serviced Accommodation Provider of the Year
  - Recognises small hotels as well as bed & breakfast and guest house businesses providing truly memorable guest experiences and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business.
- Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
  - Recognises self-catering accommodation businesses providing truly memorable guest experiences and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business.
- Pub of the Year
  - Recognises pubs that make a significant contribution to tourism in their area, with a food and drink offering that includes quality locally sourced produce.
- Taste of the West Midlands
  - Recognises businesses within the tourism industry that offer food, beverage and service innovation and excellence.
- Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
  - Recognises large visitor attraction businesses providing truly memorable visitor experiences and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business.
- Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
  - Recognises small visitor attraction businesses providing truly memorable visitor experiences and demonstrating excellence across every aspect of the business.
- Tourism Event/Festival of the Year
  - Recognises providers of truly memorable and immersive tourism events and festivals.

Why apply?

Increase your PR opportunities
- Success at the awards presents an opportunity to gain valuable press coverage across local, regional and potentially national outlets
- Social media graphics will be provided to our winners to allow you to promote your success across your marketing communications
Potential for national recognition
- Gold and Silver winners of the WMTA will automatically be put forward to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence
- Opportunity to be recognised by potential customers as one of the best tourism businesses in the country
- National winners are promoted across VisitEngland’s consumer communication channels
Improve your business
- Feedback from the judges on your application may highlight areas for improvement
- Competing against other businesses across the region can give you a benchmark and a tangible level of success to aim for
Gain a competitive edge
- Being an award winner will give you a unique selling point and help you to stand out from your competitors
- Consumer confidence can be raised through an official endorsement and trusted logo
Celebrate with and motivate your team
- Being an award winner could increase staff motivation, give them a feeling of pride for their workplace and help attract other high quality employees
- The awards are a great opportunity to reward your staff and recognise their contribution to the business
- Enjoy your success and celebrate with your staff and other businesses across the area.