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Venues from Birmingham to Bewdley and Stratford-upon-Avon to Solihull will contest categories including B&B / Guest House of the Year; Business Events Venue of the Year; and Large Visitor Attraction of the Year.

The 15 successful attractions and hospitality businesses will be revealed at a special ceremony on 26 February 2020 at the University of Birmingham’s Great Hall. Regional winners will automatically feed up to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which takes place in June.

Supported by the West Midlands Growth Company, which aims to attract visitors and events to the region, the awards will celebrate the venues that have helped to bring a record 131 million visitors to the area in 2018 – a 2.6% increase on the previous year. The West Midlands’ tourism industry is now worth £12.6 billion, a rise of 6.7%. The sector supports more than 135,000 jobs.

Roger Mendonca, Chief Operating Officer of the West Midlands Growth Company, said:

“The West Midlands Tourism Awards will shine a spotlight on the venues that have helped make this unique region a destination of choice for national and international visitors, with tourist numbers, spend and hotel occupancy at an all-time high.

“We received a high standard of entry for our awards from more than 75 tourism businesses, and congratulate those venues who have got the nod from industry experts following a very competitive shortlisting process.

“We look forward to recognising the stars of our tourism scene in February and encourage companies to get in touch with us to find out how they can raise their profile by supporting the event.”

The West Midlands is gearing up to welcome more visitors in 2020, with the International Dance Festival Birmingham; Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell gig in Solihull; and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Europa League campaign among the events set to attract domestic and overseas guests to the region.

West Midlands Tourism Awards 2020 – Finalists

Category

Finalists

1.     Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award

Birmingham Hippodrome
Royal Shakespeare Company

2.     B&B / Guesthouse of the Year

Avonlea
Broome Park Farm
Victoria Spa Lodge

3.     Business Events Venue of the Year

Coombe Abbey
ICC Birmingham
Warwick Conferences

4.     Camping, Glamping, Holiday Park of the Year

Etties Field
Hencote
Hill Farm Glamping
Hopley’s Family Camping

5.     Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award

The Hive

6.     Experience of the Year

Bobby Britnell
Jaguar Land Rover Experience Solihull
Positively Birmingham Walking Tours
Royal Shakespeare Company

7.     Large Hotel of the Year

Coombe Abbey
Mallory Court Country House Hotel & Spa
Malmaison Birmingham

8.     Small Hotel of the Year

Baraset Barn, Lovely Pubs
Brockencote Hall

9.     International Tourism

Go Cotswolds
Shakespeare's Birthplace

10.  New Tourism Business Award

Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon
Positively Birmingham Walking Tours
Shakespeare Distillery

11.  Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year

Burlton Cottages
Ironbridge View Townhouse
Penny Black Cottage

12.  Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

Black Country Living Museum
National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham
Royal Shakespeare Company

13.  Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

Aston Hall 
FarGo Village
Jaguar Land Rover Experience Solihull
Shakespeare Schoolroom & Guildhall

14.  Pub of the Year

The Coracle Micro pub
The Howard Arms
The Millstone Hare

15.  Taste of England Award

Esquires Coffee 
The Butchers Social
Tumeric Gold

For more information about the West Midlands Tourism Awards, including how to buy tickets and find out about sponsorship opportunities, visit http://westmidlandstourismawards.com/.

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