Visit Devon Tourism Awards 2012

North Devon Businesses are being encouraged to enter the official Visit Devon Tourism Awards 2012. Fresh from the region's outstanding success in this year's national VisitEngland awards in May, when a North Devon business went through to win a Gold, the cycle has now re-started and tourism businesses across the region are invited to enter this year's tourism awards.

Wheatland Farm Eco Lodges and Cottage won Gold at the Devon Tourism Awards last year, which automatically qualified them for the South West Tourism Awards, where they again won and went through to represent the South West at the Visit England Awards for Excellence 2012.

Recent years have seen growing recognition of the benefits of entry, as Laura Holt of North Devon+ explains "The Devon Tourism Awards reward achievement, celebrate success, exemplify good practice and promote all that is best in tourism in the region. I encourage all businesses to enter the Devon Tourism awards. Being part of the awards presents opportunities to raise their profile and attract new customers and the recognition gives all staff a sense of achievement and pride in these challenging economic times".

The categories to choose from are as follows:

• Best Tourism Activity, Sport and Experience
• Tourism Event of the Year (Festivals and Events attracting 5,000+ visitors)
• Hotel of the Year
• Bed and Breakfast, Guest Accommodation & Inn of the Year
• Self Catering and Serviced Apartments
• Holiday Park and Village of the Year
• Visitor Attraction of the Year
• Business Tourism Award
• Tourism Information Service of the Year
• Sustainable Tourism Award
• Taste of Devon Award

The deadline for entering all three awards schemes is 5pm on Thursday 21st June, but businesses are encouraged to start preparing now and not leave it to the last minute!

Full details of the tourism awards, along with details of how to enter, top tips and entry forms can be found here