VisitEngland Awards for Excellence: the judging process
VisitEngland Awards for Excellence: the judging process
Winners of core categories at local awards officially aligned with the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence are automatically put forward to the national competition. The national shortlist is then evaluated by the national judging panels, made up of experts in the tourism industry.
How your entry will be judged
No matter where you are based in the country, your local and national application will be judged against nationally-set standards, with the same scoring criteria and judging guidance for all core categories.
For the local awards, your application will be scored and ranked against other applicants in your category to determine a shortlist. All applicants will receive feedback on how to improve their application, even if they are not shortlisted.
Further rounds of judging, including site visits with further feedback, also form part of the decision process at local competition level. The overall winners of local core categories are then put forward for national judging. For local competitions covering larger areas, additional winners may also be eligible to progress.
National judging panels
VisitEngland appoints industry experts across several judging panels to determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze national winners for each category.
The national judging panelists are selected each year and usually include journalists/ media experts, senior trade/ industry body representatives, sponsors, specialist consultants, VisitEngland Advisory Board Members and VisitEngland/VisitBritain Directors/ subject experts.
If you are interested in being considered as a national judge, please contact the Awards Team before the end of October. The panel meetings are usually held in March. Please note that panel members are subject to change prior to panel meetings.
The following experts were on the national judging panels for the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025/26
Ross Calladine, Accessibility and Inclusion Lead, VisitEngland
Richard Morsley, VisitEngland Advisory Board
Anna Nelson, Chief Executive, AccessAble
Sassy Wyatt, Founder, Blind Girl Adventures
Emily Yates, Head of Accessibility and Inclusive Design, Mima
Sophie Braybrooke, Chief Executive, Stay in a Pub
Scott Davies, Hotel Manager, Titanic Hotel Liverpool
Amy Lindsay, Executive Producer, Travelzoo
Jane Pendlebury, CEO, HOSPA
Rachel Walter, VisitEngland Advisory Board
Jenny Jensen, Owner, Jenny Jensen Ltd
Paul Szomoru, Regional Development Lead – North East and Yorkshire, VisitEngland
Nadine Thomson, Advisory Board Member, VisitEngland
Jane Anderson, Travel Editor, Prima Magazine
Alistair Handyside, Executive Chair, Professional Association of Self-Caterers UK Ltd (PASC UK Ltd)
Nikki Nichol, PR and External Communications Lead, Caravan and Motorhome Club
Sadie Rowell, Head of Sales, VisitEngland Assessment Services
Sarah Bagg, Founder, ReWork Consulting
George Follett, Managing Director, Ticket Tailor
Paul Griffiths, CEO, Association for Cultural Enterprises
Paul Kelly, Chief Executive, British Association of Leisure Parks Piers and Attractions (BALPPA)
Janet Uttley, Head of Industry Development, VisitEngland
Anita Waddell, Managing Director, Agility Marketing
Osnat Borreda, Senior Training & Education Manager, VisitEngland
Peter Muttitt, Managing Director, PM Consulting
Kerry Parnell, Editor and journalist
Nigel Wilkinson, VisitEngland Advisory Board
Sophie Braybrooke, Chief Executive, Stay in a Pub
Scott Davies, Hotel Manager, Titanic Hotel Liverpool
Amy Lindsay, Executive Producer, Travelzoo
Jane Pendlebury, CEO, HOSPA
Rachel Walter, VisitEngland Advisory Board
Sarah Bagg, Founder, ReWork Consulting
George Follett, Managing Director, Ticket Tailor
Paul Griffiths, CEO, Association for Cultural Enterprises
Paul Kelly, Chief Executive, British Association of Leisure Parks Piers and Attractions (BALPPA)
Janet Uttley, Head of Industry Development, VisitEngland
Anita Waddell, Managing Director, Agility Marketing
Alex Lacey, London Tour Guide
Barrie Poulter, CEO, Inapub
Mardi Roberts, Prestige Account Director, Ridgeview/ Wine GB
Janet Uttley, Head of Industry Development, VisitEngland
Alex Lacey, London Tour Guide
Barrie Poulter, CEO, Inapub
Mardi Roberts, Prestige Account Director, Ridgeview/ Wine GB
Janet Uttley, Head of Industry Development, VisitEngland
Sarah Duncan, Co-Founder and Director, Sleeping Lion
Kat Emmett, Head of Carbon Reduction, Zero Carbon Company
Sarah Fowler, Advisory Board Member, VisitEngland
Richard Hammond, Videographer & Publishing Director, Green Traveller Media
Leanne Smith, Senior Regenerative Tourism Manager, VisitEngland
Jane Anderson, Travel Editor, Prima Magazine
Alistair Handyside, Executive Chair, Professional Association of Self-Caterers UK Ltd (PASC UK Ltd)
Nikki Nichol, PR and External Communications Lead, Caravan and Motorhome Club
Sadie Rowell, Head of Sales, VisitEngland Assessment Services
Sophie Braybrooke, Chief Executive, Stay in a Pub
Scott Davies, Hotel Manager, Titanic Hotel Liverpool
Amy Lindsay, Executive Producer, Travelzoo
Jane Pendlebury, CEO, HOSPA
Rachel Walter, VisitEngland Advisory Board
Sarah Bagg, Founder, ReWork Consulting
George Follett, Managing Director, Ticket Tailor
Paul Griffiths, CEO, Association for Cultural Enterprises
Paul Kelly, Chief Executive, British Association of Leisure Parks Piers and Attractions (BALPPA)
Janet Uttley, Head of Industry Development, VisitEngland
Anita Waddell, Managing Director, Agility Marketing
Alex Lacey, London Tour Guide
Barrie Poulter, CEO, Inapub
Mardi Roberts, Prestige Account Director, Ridgeview/ Wine GB
Janet Uttley, Head of Industry Development, VisitEngland
Jane Anderson, Travel Editor, Prima Magazine
Alistair Handyside, Executive Chair Professional Association of Self-Caterers UK Ltd (PASC UK Ltd)
Nikki Nichol, PR and External Communications Lead, Caravan and Motorhome Club
Sadie Rowell, Head of Sales, VisitEngland Assessment Services
Tourism Awards Steering Group
Robin Barker
South West Tourism Awards
Dominique Bray
Visit Worcestershire Tourism Awards
Maria Moriarty Eames
Lancashire Tourism Awards
Carolyn Knott
Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards
Lindsay Rae
Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards
Sarah Davidson
North East England Tourism Awards
Janine Williams
Leicestershire Promotions Tourism and Hospitality Awards
Andrea Sammons
Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism and Good Food Awards
