Local hospitality businesses have triumphed in the Devon Tourism Awards.
The Pig at Combe won Gold in the Small Hotel of the Year class, and Lower Keats Glamping in Axminster was the Gold winner in the Glamping Business of the Year section.
Seaton Tramway won two awards - Silver for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, and Bronze in the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism category.
Meanwhile in Ottery, Coldharbour Field Kitchen was awarded Gold in the Casual Dining category and Mazzard Farm Holiday Cottages won Gold for Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism.
Ruud Jansen Venneboer from Mazzard Fam said: “This makes our little corner of Devon the most accoladed – is that even a word? – in a few square miles."
Raceworld in Woodbury Salterton won Gold for Experience of the Year (Active or Learning).
The awards were presented in Plymouth on Thursday, February 2. After two years of online events it was a welcome return to face-to-face events, with attendees taking the opportunity to catch up with colleagues and supporters. Many were also excited by the prospect of further success at the regional South West and national VisitEngland awards.
Deborah Heather, director of headline sponsors Quality in Tourism, said: “On behalf of all my colleagues at Quality in Tourism, we were simply blown away by the quality of the entrants to the awards, the finalists were hard to pick but are really the creme de la creme in the industry, we were thrilled to be their celebrating with them.”
Awards organiser Robin Barker of Services for Tourism said: “It never ceases to amaze me how tourism businesses continue to innovate and excel, even when faced with the most extraordinary hurdles. You are my heroes – each and every one of you!”
Successful businesses in the Devon Awards will now be fast tracked into the South West Tourism Excellence Awards in March and possibly into the national VisitEngland awards later in the year.
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