Dudley Zoo and Castle takes top tourism award
Dudley Zoo and Castle has been awarded a prestigious national tourism award for being one of the top storytelling attractions in the country.
The conservation charity has been honoured with the ‘Best Told Story’ at the 2025 VisitEngland Accolade Awards, which recognises the zoo’s outstanding commitment to telling its story effectively and where visitors leave having enjoyed an interesting and entertaining experience.
Zoo Director Matt Lewis, said: “We are really proud to receive the ‘Best Told Story’ accolade.
“It is testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams across the 40-acre zoo site, who work together to help us connect people with the natural world and to engage visitors in conservation.
“We’re delighted our continued dedication has been recognised by experts from within the tourism regulatory body.”
The award also follows an annual VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme assessment, when an unbiased assessor visited the zoo earlier in the year and scored a number of factors including interpretation, cleanliness, retail and staff.
In the report the assessor commented: “The choice of what to see and do encourages repeat visits as the variety is most impressive. So many of the animals and bird features are in stunning purpose-built accommodation giving excellent visibility, and the interpretation is very informative.”
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “These accolades put England’s outstanding attractions in the spotlight as they recognise the amazing visitor experiences available across the country. They acknowledge the people who give the warmest welcomes, provide the most mouth-watering food and tell the stories that delight visitors, making them jewels of our tourism offer.
