TOURISM businesses across the Cotswolds are being urged to enter the Cotswolds Tourism Awards which celebrate both their quality and importance economy.

This is the sixth year of the awards which are aligned with VisitEngland’s National Awards for Excellence.

The launch coincides with the creation of the new Cotswolds Tourism Destination Management Organisation - the official tourism partnership for the area. As well as appointing a Chief Executive, who will join the team in October, work is well underway on a brand new website to replace the old Cotswolds.com.

Partnership manager Susie Hunt says the annual Cotswolds Tourism Awards are a fantastic way to highlight the cream of Cotswolds tourism businesses: “They are about identifying and celebrating the best of the best, and a great way to recognise the hard work and energy our tourism providers put in to this essential industry, worth an estimated £1bn a year to the local economy.”

There are fifteen categories for 2016 and the gold winners from each category will be eligible to go forward to the VisitEngland national awards in January. Business have until Friday October 16 to enter and full details and an application form can be found at www.cotswolds.com/awards. Judging takes place in late October and November with our local winners announced in mid-November.

The categories for the 2016 Cotswolds Tourism Awards are: Bed and Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year; Self Catering Holiday Provider of the Year; Small Hotel of the Year; Large Hotel of the Year; Holiday Park/Holiday Village of the Year; Small Visitor Attraction of the Year; Large Visitor Attraction of the Year; Taste of England & The Cotswolds Award; Tourism Pub of the Year; Tourism Experience of the Year; Tourism Event of the Year; Visitor Information Provider of the Year; Access for All Tourism Award; Sustainable Tourism Award; and Business Tourism Award.

For further information contact: cotswoldstourism@cotswold.gov.uk or call the tourism team on 01285 623000.