VisitEngland's 2026 Tourism Superstar named as Worcestershire’s Mick Hurst of the Battle of Evesham

VisitEngland has today, 24 March, announced the winner of its Tourism Superstar 2026 competition with Mick Hurst from Worcestershire’s Battle of Evesham historical events and re-enactments taking this year’s crown.

Hull and East Yorkshire Volunteers take second place with third going to Jimmy Nicol, volunteer guide at Raby Castle in County Durham.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:

“Every year, VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar competition uncovers the individuals and teams working in our industry who go out of their way to make visitors experience something extra special and this year’s line-up was stellar.

“As founder of the Battle of Evesham Festival, Mick brings Worcestershire’s rich history to life, attracting thousands of visitors each year and supporting the local visitor economy. Thank you to all those who voted.”

Mick Hurst VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2026

Lorna Robinson, Visitor Economy and Destination Manager at Visit Worcestershire, said: 

“I am absolutely over the moon that Mick has been crowned this year’s VisitEngland Tourism Superstar. Anyone who has ever met Mick will know exactly why he deserves this. His passion, his energy, and his unwavering love for Evesham and Worcestershire are nothing short of extraordinary.

"From creating the Battle of Evesham Festival, to developing it into a year-round programme, to championing the town and county at every opportunity, Mick pours his heart into everything he does. He has an incredible ability to make history feel alive, welcoming and full of joy. Whether he’s greeting visitors, reassuring traders and re-enactors at the Battle of Evesham Festival, or portraying Prince Edward when promoting Evesham around the country, he approaches everything with the same warmth and enthusiasm.

"When we asked Worcestershire to get behind him, the response was phenomenal – a real testament to how loved, respected and admired he is across our county. Mick isn’t just a brilliant ambassador for Worcestershire; he’s a shining example of what makes our visitor economy so special: passion, pride and people. We couldn’t be prouder to see him recognised on the national stage. He is, in every sense, our very own superstar.”

This year’s Tourism Superstar competition ran from 9 February until the end of English Tourism Week at midnight on 22 March, with the public voting for their favourite amongst 10 finalists.  VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar search in 2026 saw the highest number of votes ever cast, more than 20,000, and up about 10% on last year’s competition.

Mick Hurst will be presented with his Tourism Superstar award at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2026 event to be held in the summer.  

Tourism is one of England’s largest, most valuable industries, supporting hundreds of thousands of small-to-medium sized businesses, more than two million jobs and worth £127 billion to the English economy.