BRIGHTON, ENGLAND, October 27, 2010
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Hot on the heels after being
named one of the UK's Favourite Visitor Attractions in the Guardian
Observer Travel earlier this week, Brecon Beacons celebrates four
top tourism businesses won their categories at the National Tourism
Awards gala evening held at the Vale Hotel, near Cardiff.
With over 50 other organisations competing in 16 categories, The
Guardian Hay Festival scooped the award for Best Large Event whilst
Wern Watkin Bunkhouse, near Llangattock was named winner of the
Sustainable Tourism award, Big Pit, Blaenafon was applauded for
their Sense of Place and Call of the Wild won the Business Tourism
award.
Organised by Visit Wales, in partnership with the Wales Tourism
Alliance and in commercial cooperation with corporate
communications company Quadrant, the National Tourism Awards Wales
once again celebrated the best of Wales' tourism industry,
providing a showcase for excellent, sustainable and professional
tourism businesses in Wales.
Brecon Beacons National Park Authority is at the forefront in
promoting sustainable tourism businesses, particularly now as they
have support from the COLLABOR8 project (part funded by the
European Regional Development Fund through INTERREG IVB NWE
programme). So it was particularly pleasing that Sustainable
Tourism prize was given to Andrew Fryer, owner of the 5 star Wern
Watkin Bunkhouse, near Llangattock. Recognised for his long term
vision and commitment to sustainability, Andrew was recently given
a Gold award by the Green Tourism Business Scheme - a scheme
supported by the National Park Authority through COLLABOR8. Andrew
said of his win: "Most of my business is now repeat business and
the sustainability issue definitely plays a part there. People
don't buy for the first time based on it, but it is definitely a
factor in their decision to repeat buy."
Call of the Wild, Brecon Beacons was nominated for two category
awards - Business Tourism and Best Team. They eventually took home
the award for Business Tourism having been praised for their
innovative ideas and excellent use of customer feedback to improve
the business. Mark Soanes from Call of Wild said: "We are dealing
with companies who have to justify the money they spend, and they
are looking for a high quality, professional service. A lot of it
is word of mouth - if you deliver a good service, your name becomes
very well known."
Founder of the Guardian Hay Festival Peter Florence said: "We are
absolutely delighted and thrilled to have won the award. Thousands
come here year after year to hang out with family and friends in a
field and the amazing community in Hay supports that."
It was Peter's experiences of festivals overseas as a British
Council worker that inspired him to set up Hay with his father
Norman in 1988.
As the Guardian Hay Festival has grown Peter says local businesses
have "upped their game" to meet the expectations of an
international clientele, "Local bank managers would tell you the
festival brings up to GBP15 million of business into the area. For
some it constitutes up to 35 per cent of annual income and has
enabled them to remain afloat."
Winning the Sense of Place award, Big Pit, Blaenafon was applauded
for its outstanding ability to provide visitors with a memorable
experience that takes great pride in its sense of place.
Over 400 businesses initially applied for the awards, which were
then shortlisted down to 53 organisations - seven Brecon Beacons
tourism businesses celebrated reaching the finals including The
Guardian Hay Festival, Call of the Wild, Wern Watkins, Brecon
Beacons Tourism, Abergavenny Food Festival, Big Pit and Brecon
Beacons Holiday Cottages.
Heritage Minister, Alun Ffred Jones, said: "With record entries for
this year's awards, the winners of each category can be very proud
of their achievement. Being named the best in Wales is no mean
feat. The dedication that these businesses show to quality and
redeveloping their product to meet with consumers needs in a
difficult economic climate is to be applauded.
"The awards evening demonstrates the importance of Wales' GBP4
billion tourism industry to the Welsh economy and the quality of
product that we have to offer our visitors. I'd like to offer my
congratulations to all of tonight's winners."
The gala evening was hosted by TV Presenter Sarra Elgan, who
announced the winners of the 16 categories which included:
- Best Place to Stay (large)
The Grove, Narbeth Pembrokeshire
- Best Place to Stay (small)
Dolgellau Boutique B&B, Ffynnon
- Best Caravan and Camping Park
Yr Helyg - The Willows Touring and Camping Park, Abersoch
- Best Self Catering Place to Stay (large)
Clydey Cottages, near Boncath, Pembrokeshire
- Best Self Catering Place to Stay (small)
Monmouthshire Cottages, Tintern Abbey
- Best Community Event
Cowbridge Food & Drink Festival, Vale of Glamorgan
- Best Large Event
The Guardian Hay Festival, Hay on Wye, Brecon Beacons
- Best Family Day Out
Folly Farm, Pembrokeshire
- Best Digital Marketing
Folly Farm, Pembrokeshire
- Best New Business
Afan Lodge, Afan Argoed Country Park, Port Talbot
- Best Team
The Hilton, Cardiff
- Best Visitor Experience
Cardiff International White Water
- Business Tourism
Call of the Wild, Brecon Beacons
- Sustainable Tourism
Wern Watkin Bunkhouse, Llangattock, Brecon Beacons
- Best Partnership
West Wales Tourism Associations
- Sense of Place
Big Pit, Blaenafon
- Outstanding Contribution to the Tourism Industry in Wales
Julian Burrell, OBE
