VisitEngland Awards for Excellence: award categories
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Introduction
The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence celebrate the nation’s leading tourism and visitor-focused businesses – from small bed and breakfasts to large attractions and business events venues.
The process begins when you apply to your local tourism awards. You can enter as many categories as you wish, as long as your business fits the entry criteria. The overall winners of core local categories are automatically submitted to the national judging, culminating in the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence event.
You must enter your local tourism awards competition for the opportunity to progress to national judging. Read the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence FAQs.
The local awards structure
Most regional awards contests offer both local and core awards. A local category is only offered by the regional competition, meaning that recognition is only available at a local level. Meanwhile, core category winners are put forward to national judging.
Within the core categories, there are two types of awards:
- Business-led: those that highlight the best businesses in a particular sector, for example the Small Hotel of the Year award.
- Market-led: those that highlight businesses who really understand their target audience, for example the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award.
The core categories are set by VisitEngland’s Tourism Awards Steering Group, and reviewed annually to reflect the latest industry structure and market trends.
Local and national awards core categories
All local competitions aligned with the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 must offer the following categories:
B&B and Guest House of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
B&B and Guest House of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Small Hotel of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Small Hotel of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Large Hotel of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Large Hotel of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Self Catering Accommodation of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Self Catering Accommodation of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Pub of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Pub of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Experience of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Experience of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
New Tourism Business of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
New Tourism Business of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
Taste of England Award 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Taste of England Award 2025/26 Application Form
Local competitions are required to offer at least two of these five categories:
Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award 2025/26 Application Form
Regenerative Tourism Award 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Regenerative Tourism Award 2025/26 Application Form
Unsung Hero Award 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Unsung Hero Award 2025/26 Application Form
Business Events Venue of the Year 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
Business Events Venue of the Year 2025/26 Application Form
International Tourism Award 2025/26 Application Form.pdf
International Tourism Award 2025/26 Application Form
Special award categories
The national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence also include a selection of special prizes. The winners are determined by VisitEngland, with the exception of Tourism Superstar, which is decided by public vote during English Tourism Week.
Tourism Superstar
The annual Tourism Superstar prize recognises the dedication and passion of those working in the tourism industry, and is awarded to an individual who goes above and beyond the call of duty.
The campaign champions careers in tourism for people of all ages, and promotes quality, customer service and excellence within England’s tourism industry.
Tourism Superstar celebrates individuals in the tourism industry who go the extra mile to ensure that visitors to England have an unforgettable experience. Nominees are passionate about where they work and the destination they live in, and consistently set the bar high for the standard of service in England’s tourism industry.
Travel Content Award
This award recognises the important contribution that media and influencers make in championing the array of great experiences on offer across England.
Apply now
Apply now
Useful information
Local competitions are required to offer at least two of the following categories: Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award, Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award, Unsung Hero Award and Business Events Venue of the Year.
In addition, local awards competitions may choose to offer extra categories which do not feed up to the national awards, such as Event of the Year, which are specific to that destination.
Local competitions may choose to combine certain core categories. For example, instead of running both Small Visitor Attraction of the Year and Large Visitor Attraction of the Year awards, a single Visitor Attraction of the Year category may be offered. The winner would be put forward to the most relevant category at national level. The combined categories are: Hotel of the Year, Small Serviced Accommodation Provider of the Year, Visitor Attraction of the Year, Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year and Self Catering Accommodation of the Year.
Local competitions may choose to split certain categories. For example, the Taste of England Award category could be split into Restaurant of the Year and Tearoom of the Year at local level, with an overall winner selected and put forward for the national Taste of England Award. Also, the Taste of England Award name may be changed to reflect the local destination, for example Taste of Cumbria Award.
Local competition organisers and VisitEngland reserve the right to refuse an application if the business does not meet the eligibility criteria, or to move an application to another category if deemed more appropriate.
In certain circumstances, a local competition may not carry a mandatory core category if there is deemed to be insufficient stock in the area. For example, an urban awards competition may not carry the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year category.
Terms and conditions vary by local competition.
