Organisations from across the region’s accommodation, arts, food and drink, visitor attraction and heritage sectors were honoured with awards in categories including Experience of the Year, New Tourism Business and Accessible and Inclusive Tourism.
Held at Coombe Abbey in Coventry, this year’s ceremony marked the innovation, spirit and resilience of West Midlands tourism businesses in delivering a memorable welcome for the region’s visitors, following an unpredictable two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The event was hosted by Satnam Rana, who spent a decade as arts and culture correspondent for BBC Midlands Today. The evening featured performances by Navkiran Kaur Mann and the Rosso Duo.
The awards are supported by the West Midlands Growth Company, one of the partners responsible for delivering the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Business and Tourism Programme (BATP). The three-year initiative aims to leverage the profile of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to attract more tourists and major events to the West Midlands and wider UK.
Andrew Lovett, Chair of the West Midlands Regional Board for Tourism, said:
“The West Midlands Tourism Awards provided us with a lovely opportunity to get together and to say a loud collective thank you to the staff and owners at visitor attractions, accommodation and hospitality venues for the warmest of welcomes they’ve provided over the past two years.
“The tourism community has shown remarkable resilience and ingenuity in the way it has responded to and come through the pandemic. With restrictions and rules now removed, I hope that more people choose to visit the West Midlands and enjoy the once-in-a-generation summer of great festivals and events, led by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“My message to people working in tourism is to hold-on to your confidence and don’t forget that before the pandemic you were successful and highly valued by visitors for the experiences you brought to their lives. Success and growth is and will continue to return to our industry.”
The award winners (gold) and runners-up (silver) from the 2022 West Midlands Tourism Awards will automatically qualify for the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, held in the summer.