The high-flyers of York’s tourism industry have been revealed.
Sixty finalists for the annual Visit York Tourism Awards have been unveiled today (Friday 6 April). Billed as the Oscars of the city’s tourism sector, the awards will honour tours and tearooms, ambassadors and accommodation.
Altogether 130 businesses from across the city submitted entries for the awards. A panel of independent judges will now decide on who will scoop one of the 17 Oscars, through a mix of mystery shopping and rigorous analysis against the entry criteria.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony on June 21 at the National Railway Museum.
Sally Greenaway, Head of Visit York, said:
The standard of entries has been higher than ever this year. Now the mystery shopper visits start and businesses will need to demonstrate exceptional levels of customer service to win.
We wish everyone the very best of luck and are excited to reveal the winners on 21 June.
Winners will have the opportunity to go forward to the regional White Rose Awards and national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
Here are the finalists
B&B or Guest House of the Year
Goldsborough Hall
No. 21 York
Tower Guest House
The Balloon Tree Farmshop & Café
The Black Swan, Helmsley
The Garden Room at The Principal York
Lakeside Conference Centre
The Principal York
York Racecourse
Explore York Library & Archive
The Web Adventure Park
York Maze
York Castle Museum – A Victorian Christmas
Brewtown Tours
The Bloody Tour of York
Tours in a Dish
York Cycling Tours
Doubletree by Hilton, York
Grays Court
The Grand Hotel & Spa, York
The Principal York
Askham Bryan Wildlife & Conservation Park
Fortyfive Vinyl Café
The Rise Restaurant, Terrace and Bar at The Grand Hotel & Spa, York
The Shop That Must Not Be Named
Valhalla York
Nikki Hopwood (Raithwaite Hall)
Wayne Brady (The Grand Hotel & Spa, York)
Rhianna Thomson (Hilton York)
Anna Bialochleb (The Whippet Inn Steak & Alehouse)
The Blue Bell
Chapter House York
The Whippet Inn Steak & Alehouse
Walmgate Ale House
Ambiente Tapas Fossgate
The Gallery at The Black Swan
Hudsons by Craig Atchinson at The Grand Hotel & Spa
The Whippet Inn Steak & Alehouse
Walmgate Ale House
Goodramgate Apartments
Studford Luxury Lodges
The Dovecote Barns
Wolds Edge Holiday Lodges & Snug Huts
Azendi
Cuffs & Co
Rafi’s Spicebox
Visitor Attraction of the Year (Over 50,000 Visitors)
City Cruises York
Jorvik Viking Centre
Yorkshire Museum
Askham Bryan Wildlife & Conservation Park
Barley Hall
National Centre for Birds of Prey
York Army Museum
Hallowscream at York Maze
The Bloody Tour of York
York Racecourse
National Centre for Early Music
National Railway Museum
The Amazing Wedding Company at York Maze
York Racecourse
To be announced at the awards ceremony