The West Midlands Growth Company has announced that entries for the 2025 West Midlands Tourism Awards are now open, providing hospitality businesses with the chance to receive recognition for their contributions and dedication to the region’s tourism sector.
Businesses from across the region’s accommodation, arts, food and drink, visitor attraction and heritage sectors will come together for the fifth annual edition of the awards. They will be aiming for success in 17 categories, including Business Events Venue of the Year and Large Hotel of the Year. The 2025 Awards will also include brand new categories: the Casual Dining Award, Restaurant of the Year, Café/Coffee Shop of the Year and the International Tourism Award.
The awards showcase the tourism industry’s contribution to the region, with the West Midlands’ Tourism and Hospitality economy valued at over £15 billion. In 2023, the region welcomed over 141 million visitors, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 5% and recording a 38% increase to visitor levels in 2021.
Supported by the West Midlands Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board (THAB) and the West Midlands Growth Company, the awards are free to enter and will be judged by independent industry leaders. The deadline for entries is 8 July 2024, with the 2025 awards scheduled to take place early next year.
The winners of the gold and silver prizes in each category of the West Midlands Tourism Awards are automatically nominated for VisitEngland’s National Awards for Excellence, giving them the opportunity to gain recognition at a national level. This year’s awards ceremony will take place at Rum Warehouse at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool on 5 June 2025.
From the 2024 awards, three West Midlands venues – Warwick Conferences (Business Events Venue of the Year), Telford International Centre (Business Events Venue of the Year) and Cotswolds Distillery (Small Visitor Attraction of the Year) – have been shortlisted for a national VisitEngland award.
Andrew Lovett, Chair of the West Midlands Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board said, “The West Midlands Tourism Awards provide a fabulous platform for the region to come together and celebrate the tourist attractions, venues and businesses that make our region such a welcoming and memorable place to visit.
“With categories such as Experience of the Year, Pub of the Year, and new awards including International Tourism and Café/Coffee Shop of the Year, I am encouraging businesses to get involved so that their high standards and entrepreneurial expertise are rewarded and profiled. The event evening is a fantastic way to network with other regional businesses, and a great opportunity to receive feedback from industry experts. So, let us show that tourism in the West Midlands is so good it cannot be ignored.”
Click here for more information about the 2025 West Midlands Tourism Awards, including how to enter.
