West Midlands Tourism Awards 2022 launched to hail sector’s resilience

Applications are now open for businesses to enter the second annual West Midlands Tourism Awards, which will celebrate the strength and resilience of the region’s visitor economy following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tourism and hospitality venues across the West Midlands are encouraged to apply to compete for honours in 14 categories, including Large Visitor Attraction of the Year; Experience of the Year; and the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award.

The gold and silver winners of each category will be automatically shortlisted for VisitEngland’s National Awards for Excellence next summer. Last year, the Hive Café and Bakery in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter; the Birmingham Hippodrome; and the Howard Arms in Warwickshire all won national recognition, following their success at the regional event.

A new category – the Resilience and Innovation Award – will recognise companies, which have demonstrated flexibility and support for their local communities during a turbulent 18 months for the tourism sector.

Supported by the West Midlands Growth Company – which aims to attract visitors and events to the region – the awards are free to enter and will be independently judged. The closing date for entries is Sunday 10 October, with the ceremony taking place in early 2022.

Becky Frall, Head of Visitor Attraction at the West Midlands Growth Company, said:

“The West Midlands Tourism Awards highlight excellence across the sector. After an incredibly tough time for our region’s visitor economy, next year’s ceremony will celebrate the efforts of our businesses, which have delivered outstanding service because the show must go on.

“Whether it’s providing a backdrop for friends and family to get together or offering people job opportunities, our tourism sector plays a crucial role in the West Midlands’s quality of life.

“We want to celebrate the achievements of our visitor destinations during our awards night next year, and we urge businesses across the region to log on to our website and get involved.”

During the next 12 months, the West Midlands’s visitor economy will play host to major sporting and cultural fixtures including the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the British Art Show in Wolverhampton and the world’s leading international women’s cycle race, the Women’s Tour in Walsall. Coventry UK City of Culture will also continue to offer ways to explore the region and the stories of its people, with major events including the Turner Prize at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum.

In 2019, the tourism sector contributed £13.1 billion to the regional economy, attracting 134 million visitors and supporting more than 137,000 full-time equivalent jobs.

For more information about the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2022, including details of how to enter, visit makeitwm.com/wmta.