Awards for top tourist venues
Boasting historic and enthralling gems including Wightwick Manor, the Black Country Museum and Dudley Zoo, thousands of visitors pour into our region daily to sample its delights. Boasting historic and enthralling gems including Wightwick Manor, the Black Country Museum and Dudley Zoo, thousands of visitors pour into our region daily to sample its delights. And now the Black Country's tourist attractions could find themselves being named among the best in the country. Venues, services and attractions in our cities and towns are being invited to enter Regional Excellence in Tourism Awards 2007, part of the national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2008. There are 14 categories to enter, ranging from Best Hotel of the Year, Best Website and Best Large Visitor Attraction. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
And now the Black Country's tourist attractions could find themselves being named among the best in the country.
Venues, services and attractions in our cities and towns are being invited to enter Regional Excellence in Tourism Awards 2007, part of the national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2008.
There are 14 categories to enter, ranging from Best Hotel of the Year, Best Website and Best Large Visitor Attraction.
Winners will be automatically entered in a national competition.
Two years ago Dudley Museum and Art Gallery was named the regional winner at the ceremony and went onto win the national award for outstanding customer service. Graham Worton, keeper of geology at the museum, urged venues to enter the competition.
He said: "The whole awards process was fantastic. Just being nominated was an honour and a real vindication of my efforts and those of the team around me.
"Winning the award has certainly raised the profile of the museum and has created an awareness of some of the exceptional local heritage we have here to preserve and enjoy."
The awards are supported by regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands, through Tourism West Midlands (TWM) – the strategic tourism board.
TWM chairman Brian Summers said: "The awards are devised to recognise and reward the very best in regional tourism, an industry that contributes £5 billion a year to the West Midlands economy.
"We are expecting a record number of entries for 2007.
"The awards process and ceremony has a fresh look and some new elements, including sponsorship opportunities for commercial partners.
"We are also very excited about involving the public in the voting this year. They will have an opportunity to vote for their My Favourite Place which could be anything from great customer service, a useful website, a fun family attraction, a favourite view or even a favourite tea shop."
Entries can be made from tourism organisations located in Birmingham, the Black Country, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire, via www.coremarketing.co.uk/excellenceintourismawards