At Visit West, we believe in celebrating excellence within the tourism and hospitality industry. Local businesses and individuals have the opportunity to showcase their achievements by applying for a variety of awards and accreditations. These honours not only elevate your profile but also boost your credibility and attract more visitors to the West of England region.
Why Apply for Awards & Accreditations?
Increase visibility: Awards highlight your business and put you on the map as a leader in your sector.
Enhance reputation: Accreditation and awards build trust with customers, showing them you deliver a high standard of service.
Attract new business: Award-winning businesses often enjoy increased media coverage and customer interest.
Types of Awards & Accreditations
You can apply for a wide range of awards and accreditations across different categories of the tourism, leisure and hospitality industry, as well as local awards. These opportunities are designed to recognise excellence in everything from customer service to sustainable practices.
The Bristol, Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards highlight outstanding tourism businesses across the Bristol, Bath, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershure area. They recognise everything from customer service to innovative experiences, giving winners the chance to stand out locally and nationally.
The awards are free for tourism and hospitality businesses to enter and every participant gets free feedback too.
There are awards for accommodation, food and drink, wedding and business venues, unsung heroes, dog friendly, age friendly, new business, accessibility, sustainability as well as events, experiences, visitor information, attractions and new for this year is an International Tourism Award. Businesses are encouraged to enter as many categories as they are eligible for.
Winners of many categories will also have their application automatically considered for the Visit England Awards for Excellence (see below). This is the only route into the national awards, so even more important to make time for the entry.
Keep an eye out in our weekly industry enews for details of when the awards open for entries, and members of Visit West will also be notified directly when the awards open for 2025.
The annual VisitEngland Awards for Excellence champion the very best of the country’s tourism industry – celebrating quality, innovation and customer service. Winning an award shows that your business is among the best in the country, and provides valuable media exposure, business development and networking opportunities.
If you enter and win the local awards (above), in many categories, you’ll automatically proceed to the national contest, which is decided by a team of expert judges and you'll be representing the whole region!
If sustainability is at the heart of your business, applying for a Green Tourism accreditation is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to environmental practices. This certification is highly regarded and helps promote your business to eco-conscious visitors.
Benefits of Green Tourism:
Demonstrates environmental leadership.
Access to a network of sustainable businesses.
Featured on Green Tourism’s promotional platforms.
For Visit West members in the accommodation or dining sectors, the AA Awards are a benchmark for quality. The AA Rosette and Star rating system is internationally recognised and signals a high level of excellence in hospitality.
Key Opportunities:
AA Rosette for culinary excellence.
AA Star ratings for accommodation.
AA Hospitality Awards, celebrating top restaurants, hotels, and pubs.
Enable your business to enhance consumer trust with a free mark of compliance.
The AA, the UK’s leading hospitality assessment scheme provider, alongside VisitEngland, the national tourism agency, have today announced plans to futureproof the hospitality industry with a modernisation plan which simplifies the current quality standards and introduces the new and free Visitor Ready scheme.
The Visitor Ready scheme enables businesses in the UK hospitality, leisure, and tourism sectors to seamlessly showcase their commitment to operating safely within current industry standards and legislation. It has been created to make compliance accessible for all. The baseline accreditation helps business to know the key safety and cleanliness requirements that today’s visitor expects. Businesses can check eligibility at VisitorReady.com, upload evidence, confirm key requirements and finish the application in just 20 minutes.
Approved businesses benefit from a secure wallet for key documents, automatic reminders when documents need to be renewed, and a digital badge for their marketing channels. Earning the Visitor Ready badge represents a commitment to compliance with core standards, to assure customers they have the necessary checks in place. It means consumers can now visit with confidence.
Keep an eye on key dates and deadlines for award submissions. Visit West provides regular updates on opportunities, so make sure you’re subscribed to our industry newsletter.
We are here to support you throughout the process. If you need advice on applying for awards, understanding criteria, or preparing your submission, our team is available to assist you. Email us at membership@visitwest.co.uk.
Take your business to the next level by applying for these prestigious awards and accreditations and let the world know about the unique experiences you offer in the West of England!
Looking for information about Visit West membership? You can find out more about membership, apply to become a member, and make the most of your membership in this section.
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Find out all about the how to work with us and the latest advertising opportunities, member events and more available.
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