Awards season is in full swing, and North Yorkshire tourism businesses are being recognised and celebrated across a range of prestigious industry awards.
This year is particularly exciting for Visit North Yorkshire as we are involved in several of the region's leading tourism and food and drink awards, and we have also helped to create new opportunities for North Yorkshire businesses to gain recognition on both a regional and national stage.
As we prepare to launch a new marketing campaign celebrating North Yorkshire's outstanding food and drink offer, we are delighted to be sponsoring the Best Yorkshire Dining Experience category at the Deliciously Yorkshire Taste Awards. These awards, which are the biggest of their kind in the north of England, celebrate the region’s best food and drink businesses.
The shortlist has been announced and features an impressive line-up of North Yorkshire businesses. Finalists from across the county include Ampleforth Abbey Orchard & Cider Mill, Harrogate Brewing Co, Fodder, Whitby Distillery, Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery and The Inn South Stainley.
Within our sponsored category, our partners Elsworth at the Mill and The West Park Hotel are shortlisted alongside Drewton's Farm Shop & Manor Rooms and Holdsworth House Hotel.
Another key date in the awards calendar is the Yorkshire Post Tourism Awards, where Head of Economy & Tourism, Tony Watson, joined this year's judging panel.
With many of our partners making the the shortlist including Grantley Hall, Swinton Estate, Sandburn Hall, The Pheasant Hotel, Castle Howard, How Stean Gorge, Stockeld Park, Monk Park Farm, Ryedale Folk Museum, SEA LIFE Scarborough, North Yorkshire Water Park, Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Water Garden, Newby Hall & Gardens, Ripon Workhouse Museum and World of James Herriot, we are looking forward to seeing who comes out top in the categories.
These range from Large and Small Tourist Attraction of the Year to Tourism Trailblazer, Hidden Gem of Yorkshire, and Accessible and Inclusive Tourism. The awards celebrate the innovation, quality and dedication that continue to make Yorkshire one of the UK's leading visitor destinations.
One of the most significant developments this year is our partnership with Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) partners, Make It York, to introduce four dedicated North Yorkshire categories within the Visit York Tourism Awards.
The new categories are:
- Large Hotel of the Year
- Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year
- Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
- Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
The introduction of these categories provides a long-awaited opportunity for North Yorkshire businesses to gain recognition through a structured awards pathway to the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
We are delighted to see so many Visit North Yorkshire partners on the shortlist including Grantley Hall, Sandburn Hall, Swinton Estate, Ashes Farm Holiday Accommodation, La Rosa Hotel, Yorebridge House, Castle Howard, The Forbidden Corner, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Filey Zoo, Ripon Museum Trust, Stump Cross Caverns and The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub, with winners set to be announced at the awards ceremony on 11 March at York Racecourse.
Winners in these categories will have the opportunity to progress to the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, opening the door to national recognition and helping showcase the exceptional quality of North Yorkshire's visitor economy on a bigger stage.
This represents a significant step forward for the county's tourism sector and a valuable new opportunity that Visit North Yorkshire is proud to have helped bring to the industry.
Tony Watson, Head of Economy & Tourism, said:
"It's fantastic to see North Yorkshire businesses represented across so many prestigious awards this year. Our attractions, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and experience providers consistently deliver world-class visitor experiences and deserve to be recognised."
"I'm particularly pleased that we've been able to help create new opportunities through the Visit York Tourism Awards, providing a route for North Yorkshire businesses to gain national recognition. Congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted, I wish you all the very best of luck. Hopefully we'll see North Yorkshire well represented among the winners."
Nominations sought for VisitEngland Tourism Superstar
To round off the awards season, businesses are encouraged to start thinking about nominations for VisitEngland's Tourism Superstar competition, which celebrates the outstanding individuals and teams who go above and beyond to create exceptional visitor experiences.
Nominations typically open in October / November, with the winner announced during English Tourism Week (12-21 March 2027).
If you know someone who deserves recognition, we'd love to hear from you. Email biz@visitnorthyorkshire.com and we'll consider potential nominations to submit. Businesses can also submit nominations directly to VisitEngland.
Dates for your diary
Deliciously Yorkshire Taste Awards
3 November 2026 | Pavilions of Harrogate
Yorkshire Post Tourism Awards
30 November 2026 | New Dock Hall, Leeds
Visit York Tourism Awards
11 March 2027 | York Racecourse
VisitEngland Tourism Superstar
English Tourism Week | 12-21 March 2027
