Four North East tourism businesses are celebrating after picking up VisitEngland Awards for Excellence at a ceremony in Birmingham last night hosted by Claire Balding.
Seaham Hall, Hotel Indigo Durham, Triple A Food Tours and Clive Goodwin of the Ouseburn Trust were nominated in four different categories after all winning golds at this year's North East Tourism Awards in March. Clive Goodwin took bronze in the the Unsung Hero category, while Triple A Food Tours and Hotel Indigo Durham took silver in the New Tourism Business of the Year and Large Hotel of the Year respectively.
However, the region's biggest winner on the night was Seaham Hall Hotel, which took Gold for the small hotel of the year award, following its win in the same category at the North East Tourism Awards in March. It's the latest in a long line of prizes for the five-star hotel on the Durham Heritage Coast, after its Serenity Spa was named the best in Western Europe at the World Spa & Wellness Awards.
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Ross Grieve, Managing Director of Seaham Hall, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised for this prestigious accolade in the VisitEngland Awards. It is truly an honour and one very much shared with the entire team at Seaham Hall.
"We are very grateful for the team's passion and ongoing commitment; our fantastic, very loyal guests, are also a huge driver in terms of our success. Seaham Hall is very much a destination it its own right, and we proudly champion the region, promoting the beautiful heritage coastline, the city of Durham and the many reasons to visit and spend time in the North East of England to our guests which travel to us from all over the country."
Sarah Green, Chief Executive of NewcastleGateshead Initiative, who deliver the NEETA awards, said: "What an awesome night for the region! A massive congratulations to all our finalists.
"It's an incredible accolade to have England's top Small Hotel here in the North East and demonstrates the commitment, passion and quality of our tourism businesses. It was fantastic to see our businesses supporting each other on the night.
"I'm delighted that all our finalists have been recognised in their own right for the wonderful experiences they offer visitors to the North East."
Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said: "Our superb tourism businesses offer something for everyone and the sector is one we can be proud of. It is fantastic to see so many hardworking businesses of all sizes recognised for their gold-standard contribution to English tourism and I congratulate all the winners."
VisitEngland Advisory Board Chair Nick de Bois, said: "Millions of jobs and local economies depend on tourism and this year’s awards also highlight the dedication of tourism businesses as they rebuild, championing best practice and providing visitors with first-class experiences."
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