The Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2008 were celebrated in style on 23rd April 2008.
For the first time ever the awards ceremony was held outside London in St Georges Hall, Liverpool in celebration of Liverpool, European City of Culture and St George’s Day.
Now in their 19th year, the awards promote healthy industry competition and high standards, helping to ensure England's place as a world-class destination.
Sustainability was a hot topic at this year’s Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2008. The 44 shortlisted finalists announced, showcase leading ‘green’ tourism businesses in the new sustainable tourism award, from an environmentally sustainable villa in Norfolk, once home to Howard Carter who famously discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb, to a luxurious B&B in the New Forest National Park.
This year’s winners included a sixteenth century restaurant with rooms in Devon, Europe’s largest free airshow in Sunderland, an environmentally sustainable villa and restaurant in Norfolk and a children’s attraction and story centre in Buckinghamshire. Glastonbury Festival organiser, Michael Eavis CBE, scooped the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Tourism’.
There are fifteen different categories. They range from large and small hotels to B&Bs, which pride themselves on locally sourced breakfasts. Other awards include self-catering cottages, well known attractions and Best Tourism Experience.
The headline sponsor was The Caravan Club (www.caravanclub.co.uk/), which has just celebrated its Centenary year.
Read about this year's Gold Winners
Read about this year's Silver Winners
Watch video interviews with all shortlisted finalists
For further information on the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence or for details of how to enter please contact:
Anna Adrien
Enjoy England Awards for Excellence
VisitBritain
Thames Tower
Black’s Road
London W6 9EL
E: anna.adrien@visitbritain.org