Tag: tourism

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Leap year date for 2024 North East England Tourism Awards

Charlie Charlton, host of 2024 North East England Tourism Awards. She is sitting in a red dress, with short dark hair.

The 2024 North East England Tourism Awards (NEETA) will be held on Thursday, February 29th 2024.

Next year’s awards will once again be held at Newcastle Civic Centre and will be hosted by prominent North East advocate, Charlie Charlton.

Tickets for the prestigious event are now on sale with businesses competing in 14 categories including Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award, Large and Small Visitor Attraction of the Year and Pub of the Year.

The 2024 finalists were announced in October with Blackfriars Cookery School; Beamish, The Living Museum of the North and Langley Castle Hotel just some of the businesses in the running for an award.

Winners from some of the regional categories will then go forward to compete in the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. This year the region picked up four national awards: Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours and Kidlandlee Holiday Cottages received Gold awards, Silver went to Langley Castle Hotel and Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort was awarded a Bronze.

A special Outstanding Contribution to Tourism award will be presented on the night to an individual, business or organisation who has really made a mark on the industry. This year the award was awarded to Robson Green, whose programmes including Weekend Escapes, which is due to return to BBC 2 for a second series, have shone a light on the region and what is has to offer.

Sarah Green, chief executive of NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “The Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the wealth and quality of attractions, hotels and individuals who work tirelessly to offer visitors to the region an unforgettable experience.

“We are looking forward to once again coming together with the sector at Newcastle Civic Centre and recognising the outstanding work and excellence of our finalists.”

Host Charlie Charlton added: “I can’t wait to help celebrate the industry and all those individuals and businesses who work so hard and do so much for our fantastic region.”

As well tickets going on sale there are also a number of sponsorship opportunities available for the event including headline sponsors and category sponsors.

Delivered by Destination North East England and run in partnership with VisitEngland, (NEETA) celebrate quality, innovation, and best practice, showcasing the fantastic range of high-quality experiences on offer for visitors in our region. Destination North East England is led by NewcastleGateshead Initiative on behalf of the region, working with delivery partners Visit Northumberland and Visit County Durham and in working in partnership with all seven local authorities.

To find out more about sponsorship opportunities email tourismawards@dnee.co.uk

Tickets for the awards are £55 + VAT = £66.00, per ticket or Table of 10: £550 + VAT = £660.00

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Businesses urged to enter the North East England Tourism Awards 2024

Tourism businesses across the region are being encouraged to enter the North East England Tourism Awards 2024 and access free masterclasses to help get their application noticed.   

The North East England Tourism Awards (NEETA) celebrate quality, innovation and best practice throughout the region, showcasing the fantastic range of high-quality experiences on offer for visitors in the North East.

Winners in a number of categories at the awards are then put forward for the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence – with the 2023 awards being held in London last month.

The region enjoyed a fantastic performance on the evening; Kidlandlee Holiday Cottages picked up Gold in the Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year and Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours also picked up Gold for Experience of the Year.

Andrew Douglas, owner of Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours said, “Entering your business for the tourism awards is an invaluable opportunity to shine on your achievements and dedication within the tourism industry.

“Winning the award was like a dream come true, but whether you are winning or being shortlisted for an award, the whole experience brings well-deserved recognition and prestige to your business. The process is simple and easy, and the rewards are massive.”

NEETA 2024 will see businesses compete in 15 categories, including the coveted Large and Small Hotel of the Year and Unsung Hero.

Festival and Events organisers are being encouraged to enter the Accessible and Inclusive and Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism category this year to celebrate the breadth of events on offer in the region.

And this year the NEETA organiser, NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) on behalf of the first ever regional tourism pilot partnership, is offering two free online masterclasses to businesses to help get their application noticed. These webinars will be run by leading tourism expert Nell Barrington who will give guidance, tips, and advice on the application process and how to showcase a business at its best.

Nell, a tourism awards veteran, has helped hundreds of businesses create award-winning applications over the last 15 years, many of which have gone on to national success at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

Sarah Green, Chief Executive of NGI, said:

“We are delighted to welcome applications for the North East England Tourism Awards 2024 and encourage interest in the award-entry masterclasses being offered. The Awards have evolved this year and now act as a focus for a wider business support programme for the region’s hospitality businesses designed to deliver excellence.

“The North East as the first-government funded regional tourism pilot has set ambitious targets to double the size of the tourism sector in the next ten years – creating more jobs, driving innovation, ensuring an accessible and inclusive welcome for all and creating year-round demand.  

“Being able to work closely with businesses, such as those who enter the tourism awards, will only help to further strengthen our offer, showcasing excellence and sharing best practice across the whole region. 

“We would encourage any tourism business, large and small, to enter for free. We have already seen this year the impact that major events can have on the North East with the recent Sam Fender and Pink concerts estimated to boost the local economy by £15m, so I would particularly encourage event organisers to look at the criteria and enter the relevant category.” 

The NEETA awards celebrated their 20th anniversary last year with more applications than ever coming from new applicants and businesses. It also saw Robson Green pick up the very first Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award. This special category will make another appearance as part of next year’s celebrations with an individual, organisation or activity being recognised for the positive impact they have on the region.

Applications for the North East England Tourism Awards will close at 5pm on Monday 4 September 2023, with the award winners being announced in Spring 2024.

For more information and application, please visit tickets.northeasttourismawards.co.uk/apply-now/

The next webinar to give entry-writing support will run on Monday 14 August with sign up information here: NEETA Entry Webinars

North East England Tourism Awards 2024 Categories  

  • Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award
  • Bed & Breakfast and Guest House of the Year
  • Business Events Venue of the Year        
  • Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park of the Year
  • Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award
  • Experience of the Year
  • Large Hotel of the Year
  • New Tourism Business of the Year
  • Pub of the Year
  • Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
  • Small Hotel of the Year
  • Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
  • Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
  • Taste of North East England Award
  • Unsung Hero Award