News Article

It involves thousands of businesses, employs 60,775 of the region’s population and pumps £3.9 billion into the local economy each year – the North East England tourism industry is undoubtedly big business.

But which attractions stand out, what is the best tourism experience and which hotels are driving the industry forward and helping North East England become a leading visitor destination? All is now revealed as the region’s tourism industry was honoured last night (Tuesday 21 October) at the 2008 North East England Tourism Awards held at The Newcastle Marriott, Gosforth Park.

The awards rewarded the leading individuals, businesses and attractions that are contributing to the region’s thriving tourism industry. Those honoured at the awards include:
Access for All Tourism Award
 - The Hytte, Bingfield, Hexham, Northumberland
B&B/Guest Accommodation
 - The Stables Lodge, Lamesley, Gateshead
Business Tourism Award
 - Event Durham, Durham University
Caravan Holiday Park
 - Seafield Caravan Park, Seahouses, Northumberland
Outstanding Customer Service Award
 - John Wilkinson of Chesters Roman Fort
Large Hotel
 - The Newcastle Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park, Newcastle
Large Visitor Attraction
 - Centre For Life, Newcastle
Self Catering Holiday
 - Coastal Retreats, Northumberland
Small Hotel  
 - Jesmond Dene House, Jesmond, Newcastle
Small Visitor Attraction
 - Killhope: The North of England Lead Mining Museum, Upper Weardale, Sustainable Tourism Award
 - The Hytte, Bingfield, Hexham, Northumberland
Taste of North East England
 - Café 21, Newcastle
Tourism Experience – Tourism Services
 - Calvert Trust Kielder – for accessible activity holidays for people with disabilities
Tourism Experience – Festivals & Events
 - Evolution Festival – annual music festival held on NewcastleGateshead Quayside
Tourism Website
 - The Old School – www.northumberlandbedandbreakfast.co.uk
Tourist Information Centre
 - South Shields Amphitheatre Tourist Information Centre

Stacy Hall, Director of Communications and Tourism, One North East said:
“I would like to congratulate all of our winners on their success. The standard of entry was so high this year, that all of our winners and finalists should be proud of their achievements.

“North East England has a range of high quality tourism businesses and the tourism awards are a fantastic way for a business to demonstrate that they are the best of the best. These awards recognise the quality places to visit, eat and stay found in abundance in North East England.”

The awards showcase quality, performance and innovation within the tourism sector and recognise excellence in a number of tourism fields. They are free to enter and enable businesses to analyse their strengths and weaknesses, with judges looking for excellence in categories including customer care, staff training and accessibility. The winners in most categories will now go on to represent the region in the national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence, which are recognised as ‘Oscars’ of the tourism industry.

Geoff Hodgson, Chair of the North East England Tourism Board said:
“The awards have been great opportunity to recognise the wealth of talent and experience and reward people who work in the region’s tourism industry. Our region is home to some of the best tourism businesses in the UK and for some of them this will be the opportunity they need to put their business and North East England on the map.
”I would like to thank everyone who entered this year’s awards and wish all of our winners the best of luck in the national awards.”

Two winners from the 2007 North East England Tourism Awards celebrated by winning Gold at the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence last year. The Sunderland Airshow was named Best Tourism Experience and The Mill Granary Cottages in County Durham was named Best Self Catering Holiday of the Year.

Tourism is a major part of the economy of North East England. It is worth £3.9bn to the local economy, employing 60,775 people. The North East has seen the number of overnight visitor numbers rise by 12% since 2003 to 9 million.

ENDS

PR Contact: Debbie Sharratt T: 0191 229 6428 debbie.sharratt@onenortheast.co.uk or Hayley Beattie 0191 229 6852, hayley.beattie@onenortheast.co.uk

Full List of Winners:

Access for All Tourism Award:
GOLD - The Hytte, Bingfield, Hexham, Northumberland
SILVER - Calvert Trust, Kielder, Northumberland
BRONZE - Monkwearmouth Station, Sunderland

B&B/Guest Accommodation of the Year
GOLD - The Stables Lodge, Lamesley, Gateshead
SILVER - Carraw B&B, Hexham, Northumberland
BRONZE - East Byermoor Guest House, Whickham, Gateshead

Business Tourism Award of the Year
GOLD - Event Durham, Durham University
SILVER - Headlam Hall Hotel, Gainford, County Durham
BRONZE - The Sage Gateshead

Caravan Holiday Park of the Year
GOLD - Seafield Caravan Park, Seahouses, Northumberland
SILVER Haggerston Castle Holiday Park, Beal, Northumberland
BRONZE - Ord House Caravan Park, East Ord, Northumberland

Outstanding Customer Service Award
GOLD - John Wilkinson of Chesters Roman Fort, Northumberland
SILVER - Janet McPherson of The Stables Lodge, Lamesley, Gateshead
BRONZE - Kristy Miriama Nichol of Albatross Backpackers Inn, Newcastle

Large Hotel of the Year
GOLD - The Newcastle Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park, Newcastle
SILVER - Gisborough Hall Hotel, Guisborough, Tees Valley
BRONZE - Linden Hall Hotel, Longhorsley, Northumberland

Large Visitor Attraction of the year
GOLD - Centre For Life, Newcastle
SILVER - Washington Wetlands Trust
BRONZE - Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland

Self Catering Holiday of the year
GOLD - Coastal Retreats, Northumberland
SILVER - The Hytte, Bingfield, Hexham, Northumberland
BRONZE - Station House Flat, Catton, Hexham, Northumberland

Small Hotel of the Year
GOLD - Jesmond Dene House, Jesmond, Newcastle

Small Visitor Attraction of the year
GOLD - Killhope: The North of England Lead Mining Museum, County Durham
SILVER - Ford & Etal Estates, Northumberland
BRONZE - Warkworth Castle, Northumberland

Sustainable Tourism Award
GOLD - The Hytte, Bingfield, Hexham, Northumberland
SILVER - East Briscoe Farm Cottages, Balderdale, County Durham
BRONZE - Washington Wetlands Trust

Taste of North East England
GOLD - Café 21, Newcastle
SILVER - Blackfriars Restaurant, Newcastle
BRONZE - Barn at Beal, Beal, Northumberland

Tourism Experience of the Year – Tourism Services
GOLD - Calvert Trust Kielder – for their accessible activity holidays for people with disabilities
SILVER - Inspire Northumberland – for the commission of the Sean Henrys Couple sculpture, the first off shore sculpture in the UK, at Newbiggin by the Sea
BRONZE - River Escapes – for operating sightseeing cruises on the River Tyne

Tourism Experience of the Year – Festivals & Events
GOLD - Evolution Festival – one of the biggest music festivals in the UK held on NewcastleGateshead Quayside
SILVER - Eat! NewcastleGateshead – a food and drink festival showcasing the best of the region’s food produce and culinary delights
BRONZE - Mouth of the Tyne Festival – a free two-day festival held in Tynemouth and South Shields

Tourism Information Centre of the Year
       GOLD – South Shields Amphitheatre
       SILVER - Sunderland
       BRONZE –Stanhope

Tourism Website of the Year
GOLD - The Old School – www.northumberlandbedandbreakfast.co.uk
SILVER - Hartlepool Maritime Experience – www.hartlepoolmaritimeexperience.co.uk
BRONZE - Honest Lawyer Hotel – www.honestlawyerhotel.co.uk