Lincolnshire tourism businesses reach VisitEngland Awards final

VisitEngland has announced the finalists for the tourism industry’s annual national Awards for Excellence on 27 April, with two Lincolnshire businesses among those vying for the honours.

The International Bomber Command Centre is shortlisted for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, and Healing Manor Hotel is in contention for the Resilience and Innovation Award.

A panel of handpicked tourism industry experts conducted a rigorous judging process, resulting in 48 finalists competing in 16 core categories at the national awards. The Caravan and Motorhome Club has been announced as the headline sponsor. The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence showcase the best of England’s tourism industry, celebrating quality, innovation, best practices, and outstanding customer service.

According to VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes, the impressive list of finalists demonstrates the innovation and excellence thriving across England’s tourism industry. The range of products and experiences on offer for both domestic and international visitors is also noteworthy.

Businesses that applied for the awards included hotels, self-catering accommodation providers, B&Bs, glamping operators, visitor attractions, restaurants, pubs, and museums. In addition to the 16 core categories, four special awards will be presented this year: the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award, the Travel Content Award, the Tourism Superstar Award, and the TXGB Trailblazer Award.

All finalists are invited to attend the national awards ceremony, which will take place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter on 7 June. Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will be announced at the black-tie event, with the Family Holiday Charity chosen as this year’s beneficiary.

The 2023 Awards aligned with 16 local competitions across England, with local winners automatically considered for the national awards. Tourism is one of England’s largest and most valuable industries, supporting numerous businesses, employing approximately 2.6 million people, and generating £76 billion in domestic visitor spending in 2019.

The 2023 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Awards will be open for nominations in the coming weeks.

Charlotte Goy, Chief Executive Destination Lincolnshire expressed her delight with the finalists: “Tourism is one of the most competitive sectors in England and having two Lincolnshire businesses nominated in the national Visit England tourism awards is testament to how incredible our Visitor Economy is. From all of us at Destination Lincolnshire, we’d like to congratulate Charlotte, Nicky and their teams for flying the Lincolnshire flag going into the national Tourism Excellence Awards. As well as offering outstanding customer services and visitor experiences, they are both remarkable businesswomen who have played a key role in driving forward our £2.4bn visitor economy in Greater Lincolnshire after the pandemic. It is an honour to work with them and we wish them the best of luck going into the finals.”

| Photo by Steve Smailes

Nicky van der Drift, CEO International Bomber Command Centre, said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Visit England Best Large Attraction.  Having only been open for 5 years, this a huge tribute to the dedication of our passionate team of staff and volunteers”

| Photo by Steve Smailes

Charlotte Hay, Director of Healing Manor, said, “Being shortlisted nationally for such a prestigious award is an incredible honour and a testament to our team’s dedication. Our resilience story began when we took on the business, but COVID reshaped our industry and how we operate. We’re excited to celebrate with other finalists and acknowledge Lincolnshire’s deep roots in our establishment, from the fields and beaches our visitors enjoy to the local farmers and producers who supply our kitchens.”