The West Midlands tourism sector paid tribute to the stars of its visitor-facing venues, with 13 prizes handed out at the 2022 West Midlands Tourism Awards.

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.

 

The West Midlands Tourism Awards 2022 winners included:

Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award

hmv Empire Coventry

Gold

The Bear Grylls Adventure

Silver

B&B and Guest House of the Year

Achill Guest House & Spa

Gold

Broome Park Farm B&B

Silver

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year

Riverside Cabins

Gold

Love2Stay

Silver

Wellbank Shepherds Huts

Bronze

Experience of the Year

Roundhouse Birmingham

Gold

Shakespeare Distillery

Silver

Go Cotswolds

Bronze

Large Hotel of the Year

The Belfry Hotel & Resort

Gold

Clayton Hotel Birmingham

Silver

The Mount Hotel Country Manor

Bronze

Park Regis Birmingham

4th place

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford

Gold

Coventry Cathedral

Silver

Ikon Gallery

Bronze

Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park

4th place

New Tourism Business Award

hmv Empire Coventry

Gold

Riverside Cabins

Silver

Telegraph Hotel, Coventry

Bronze

Pub of the Year

The Canal House

Gold

Twisted Barrel Brewery and Tap House

Silver

Resilience and Innovation Award

Black Country Living Museum Trust

Gold

Sarehole Mill

Silver

Telford Town Park

Bronze

The Coffin Works

Highly Commended

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year

Ironbridge View Townhouse

Gold

Springfield Barns Holiday Cottages

Silver

Anglo Welsh the Narrowboat Holiday Company

Bronze

Small Hotel of the Year

The Castle Hotel

Gold

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

The Coffin Works

Gold

Shakespeare Distillery

Silver

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Bronze

Taste of the West Midlands

Simpsons

Gold

The Cross at Kenilworth

Silver

Esquires Coffee

Bronze