Leeds wins award for marketing in tourism

Leeds City Council is the first winner of the Marketing in Tourism Award, jointly devised by the English Tourism Council (ETC) and Marketing Week.

The award is a new addition to the England for Excellence Awards run by the ETC, formerly the English Tourist Board.

Leeds City Council won the award for its Leeds Clubbing Breaks – a scheme created to increase weekend business among affluent under-35s. Clubbers are offered accommodation with a late breakfast, late checkout and advance bookings from a number of clubs.

Stuart Smith, editor of Marketing Week, says: “The scheme showed considerable promise and remarkable versatility, given a very limited budget. It has helped to rejuvenate the image of Leeds.”

Silver awards went to the World of James Herriot – a tourist attraction in Northallerton, North Yorkshire – and Acorn Activities for its national programme of activity holidays.

Other winners were: Kirkby Travel, as agent of the year; Eduardo Loigorri, a restaurant manager at Sandbanks Hotel in Dorset, for customer service; Number 31 Howard Place, Carlisle, for best bed and breakfast; Northcliffe Holiday Parks for caravan holiday of the year; and Woolacombe for family holiday of the year.

The green award for transport went to Norden Park & Ride.

The London Marriott Hotel County Hall won hotel of the year (chains over five), and Hazlewood Castle Hotel won hotel of the year – independents.

Superbreak Mini-Holidays was operator of the year, while Tredethick Farm Cottage won self-catering holiday of the year.

Other award winners were: Manchester United FC for its outstanding contribution to tourism; the Powered Vehicle Scheme for tourism for all; Hastings for tourist information centre of the year; the Bristol Tourism & Conference Bureau for training in tourism; the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens for visitor attraction of the year (more than 100,000); and Galleries of Justice for visitor attraction of the year (less than 100,000).