Tourism and Culture celebrated at awards

The quality of the leisure and tourism offer across Coventry and Warwickshire will be highlighted at an awards ceremony next week.

The inaugural Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards is being organised by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and Quidem, which owns Touch FM stations and Rugby FM, and will be hosted at the Ricoh Arena on Thursday, September 24.

Up to five nominees have been shortlisted for each of the 13 awards on offer, which promote the area’s best restaurants, hotels, attractions and experiences and the people behind them.

Among the titles up for grabs are The Bright Idea Award, Kids & Families Award, History and Heritage Award, Customer Service Award and Tourism Event of the Year. On top of that, there will be prizes for the Best B&B, Hotel, Experience, Pub and Restaurant Award.

There will also be awards for Best Venue, Arts and Theatre Award, Tourism and Culture Award.

The special guest for the night will be Lady Cobham, the chairman of VisitEngland.

She is heavily influential on the heritage and arts sectors through board membership of the Historic Houses Association and Birmingham Museums Trust, and is Chair of the Museum Prize Trust which has been responsible for running the UK’s largest arts prize, the Art Fund Prize for museums and galleries. 

Lady Cobham was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2014 for her long service to English tourism.

Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council are also supporting the awards, which will showcase the diverse attractions, venues and experiences on offer in the region.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “Our arts, culture, heritage and leisure destinations create a vibrant tourism economy, which is the envy of many.

‘’It is a great pleasure to support the Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards and celebrate the success of this vital local industry. We wish everyone well on the night.”

Coventry City Councillor Kevin Maton, Cabinet member for Business, Enterprise and Employment, said: “I’m delighted that there was such a good response and such an incredibly high standard of entries. 

‘’The tourism sector has an important role to play in the economic prosperity of Coventry and the surrounding region and it is important that we celebrate all that’s great about it.

‘’As we strive to once again be a top ten city, tourism and how we celebrate our history and heritage will be a key part of our offer to visitors.

‘’Of course there are lots of local people to be proud of too and these awards will help to remind us all of the quality and range of what’s on our wonderful door step.”  

Catherine Mallyon, Board Director and Chairman of the Culture & Tourism Business Group at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said: “The inaugural Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards are a great way to celebrate the very best venues, attractions and activities in our area. 

“The CWLEP recognises the importance of culture and tourism in improving people’s quality of life and the economic vitality of Coventry and Warwickshire. 

“We are delighted to sponsor the Business Tourism category and pleased to see so many excellent organisations taking part. We would like to wish everyone who has been nominated the very best of luck.’’