2018 Award Categories
Applications to this year's awards are now closed, there were 17 award categories:
Arts & Culture Award
This award covers arts & culture based experiences that engage with both residents and visitors. This award celebrates both one off events and bodies of work over a period of time, including dance, drama, visual arts, music, film and theatre.
Business Tourism Award
This award celebrates all elements of business tourism, acknowledging the huge importance of the meetings, conferences and exhibitions sector of the tourism industry.
Guest Accommodation of the Year
This award covers all types of guest accommodation including farmhouses, B&Bs, guesthouses and other types of guest accommodation.
Holiday Park of the Year
This award recognises caravan holiday parks, holiday and touring parks, camping and touring parks and glamping sites, including shepherd huts and camping pods that have all helped to boost business by making the most of their distinctive appeal. This category also includes holiday villages.
Inns & Restaurants with Rooms Award
This category includes businesses which are considered to be a destination restaurant or inn offering a high standard of food and service at least 5 nights a week. The number of bedrooms do not exceed 12.
Large Attraction of the Year
This award is for visitor attractions with more than 50,000 visitors per year. It covers venues that can be visited within its published opening times and offers tours and other activities as part of its overall experience.
Large Hotel of the Year
This award focuses on hotels, town house hotels, country house hotels and boutique hotels with 35 bedrooms or above, and varies from independent operators to the flagship hotel of an international chain.
Outstanding Customer Service Award
The award is designed to reward exceptional standards of customer service and to promote these success stories as examples to the industry. Nominations include individuals or teams of people who consistently demonstrate an exceptional customer care ethos.
Producers and Makers Award
This category is aimed at smaller, independent Yorkshire businesses that produce or make local food and drink, or artisan crafts and art. Entries must demonstrate creativity in their use of local ingredients and materials, consistent quality in the delivery and presentation and creative marketing.
Pub of the Year
Applications are sought from any pub which is confident in their high quality offer to customers. The award aims to acknowledge and showcase the variety of Yorkshire pubs, and seeks to recognise the one which most effectively represents the best of Yorkshire to its customers.
Restaurant of the Year
This category is aimed at businesses that offer the best of Yorkshire dining and food with a focus on locally sourced produce. All entries must include a high quality dining experience and entries must demonstrate creativity in their menu with emphasis on local produce, and consistent quality in the delivery and presentation of food.
Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
This category celebrates self-catering businesses such as serviced apartments, luxury lodges, cottages and flats, narrow boats and cruisers that have boosted their business by making the most of their distinctive appeal and quality.
Small Attraction of the Year
This category covers visitor attractions of all kinds including attractions that offer pre-booked tickets, museums, interpretation centres, theme parks, historic houses, castles and gardens.
This award is for attractions with less than 50,000 visitors per year and covers venues that can be visited within its published opening times and offers visitor activities as part of its overall experience.
Small Hotel of the Year
This award is aimed at all small hotels, town houses, country house hotels and boutique hotels with under 35 bedrooms.
Taste of Yorkshire Award
This category is aimed at smaller, independent businesses within the tourism industry with a focus on serving food and drink. Entries must demonstrate creativity in their use of local produce, consistent quality in the delivery and presentation of food and creative marketing.
Tourism Event of the Year
This award covers events and festivals of a substantial nature, involving large volumes of visitors and a timed programme. This would usually be either over a weekend, week(s), month or season. The event is likely to have an audited or estimated footfall in excess of 20,000 visitors. It can be for either a paid entry or free audience/attendance event. The event can be a one off or an annual event with a proven track record.
Visitor Information Award
This category is for tourist/visitor Information providers regardless of their size, location or resources. The award will be presented to the provider whose entry best illustrates excellent practice, acknowledging the important part played by tourist information providers in the delivery of visitor services.