The tourism businesses across the region nominated for the 2023 North East Tourism Awards have been announced.
The awards, which take place next March, see shortlisted in businesses in 16 categories ranging from pub of the year to accessible and inclusive tourism award. There were more than 160 entries for the upcoming awards, with more than half coming from businesses who were entering for the first time.
And organisers of the ceremony at the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative are hoping that it will be the best one yet, as the awards celebrate their 20th anniversary.
Read more: Booking.com names Newcastle as one of five trending UK destinations for 2023
Last year's ceremony was the first to take place since before the Covid pandemic. It was a successful night for the Alnwick Garden, who were the biggest winners with three gold awards. They will defend their title for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, the single category the garden has been nominated for in 2023.
Four gold award winners went onto the Visit England Excellence Awards; Seaham Hall Hotel, Hotel Indigo Durham, Triple A Food Tours and Clive Goodwin of the Ouseburn Trust. Seaham Hall Hotel took gold for England in the small hotel of the year award, while Hotel Indigo and Triple A Food Tours took silver in their respective categories, and Clive Goodwin took bronze.
Sarah Green, Chief Executive of NGI, said: "The North East England Tourism Awards are a fantastic opportunity to highlight and celebrate the varied and distinctive tourism businesses across the region. This has been a record year for award entries, and I am particularly delighted that 55% of entries were from businesses that have never entered before.
"Our tourism industry is worth around £5bn to the region's visitor economy and employs more than 50,000 people. Our ambition is to continue to grow the value of the visitor economy, create quality jobs and boost employment across the sector.
"The awards are a perfect example of creating and maximising such opportunities across the North East by showcasing the vibrancy of our tourism offer to visitors and investors, as well as demonstrating the richness of a career in the sector. NGI has been working tirelessly alongside tourism businesses and our partners to support this crucial sector to be sustainable and to encourage growth, and we are extremely excited to be able to reflect and celebrate at the awards ceremony next March."
Businesses shortlisted for this year's North East England Tourism Awards
Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award
Life Science Centre, Newcastle
Sage Gateshead
Sunderland Empire
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, Hexham
B&B and Guest House of the Year
Market Cross Guest House, Belford
The Bosk, Breamish Valley
Tynemouth 61 Guesthouse & Tea Room
Business events Venue of the Year
The Common Room, Newcastle
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, Hexham
Venues at Northumbria University
Camping, glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
Herding Hall Farm Camping and Glamping Site, Haltwhistle
Hesleyside Huts, Bellingham
Hillside Huts & Cabins, Morpeth
Teesdale Cheesemakers Limited, Bishop Auckland
Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award
Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Destination, Seaham
Kidlandlee Holiday Cottages, Harbottle
Laverock Law Cottages and Glamping, Lowick
Experience of the Year
Falconry Days, Hexham
La Chocolatrice, Newcastle
The Escape Key, Newcastle
Valhalla Axe Throwing, Newton Aycliffe
Large Hotel of the Year
Doxford Hall Hotel & Aqueous Spa, Chathill
Newton Hall and Cabin Walk, High Newton-by-the-Sea
Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort, Darlington
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Bamburgh Castle
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
The Alnwick Garden
Whitehouse Farm Centre, Morpeth
New Tourism Business Award
Hillside Huts & Cabins, Morpeth
Overland Adventures, Morpeth
Schoolhouse Fenwick, Berwick
The Greenhead Hotel
Pub of the Year
The Greenhead Hotel
The Apple Inn, Lucker
The Joiners Arms, High Newton-by-the-Sea
Resilience and Innovation Award
Langley Castle Hotel, Hexham
The Common Room
The Escape Key, Newcastle
Valhalla Axe Throwing, Newton Aycliffe
Self-Catering Accommodation Provider of the Year
Breamish Valley Cottages, Branton
Kidlandlee Holiday Cottages, Harbottle
Mains Cottages/Shepherds Retreats, Chathill
Till Fishing Holidays, Cornhill-on-Tweed
Vindomora Country Lodges, Consett
Small Hotel of the Year
Langley Castle Hotel, Hexham
Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchland
Seaham Hall Hotel
Lord Crewe, Bamburgh
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Newham Grange Farm, Middlesbrough
Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours, Seahouses
Stephenson Steam Railway, North Tyneside
Tees Barrage International White-Water Centre & Air Trail, Stockton
Taste of North East England
Dobson & Parnell, Newcastle
Seaham Hall Hotel
Teesdale Cheesemakers Limited, Stockton
Unsung Hero Award
Sally Razack, Crowne Plaza Newcastle Stephenson Quarter
Nick Rodgers, Project Escape Ltd and Putter Chaos Adventure Golf
Caroline May, Seaham Hall Hotel
Mohamed Kamal, Spanish City, Whitley Bay
Samantha Brown, the County Restaurant, Newton Aycliffe
Read next
-
Tourism boost for north Northumberland and Scottish Borders as new trail secures £4.5m funding
-
"World-renowned" travel company publishes pocket guide to Newcastle and the North East
-
Latest stretch of England Coastal Path on Northumberland Coast officially opens
-
New report shows Northumberland tourist economy doubles in post-covid recovery
