FINALISTS in the Visit York Tourism Awards have been revealed today - chosen for their outstanding service, innovation and resilience during the past year.

The shortlisted businesses will go head to head to win one of 15 trophies when the awards ceremony returns on Thursday, March 3, 2022.

The event at York Racecourse aims to shine a spotlight on excellence in York’s tourism sector, which supported 24,000 jobs pre-Covid, annually welcoming 8.4 million visitors to the city and bringing in an estimated £765 million total visitor spend.

Categories celebrate accommodation providers of all shapes and sizes, from camping and self-catering to large hotels, along with attractions - both big and small, events, experiences, new businesses, pubs, shops and food establishments.

Eligible winners across a number of categories will be automatically put forward to the Visit England Awards for Excellence 2022.

New categories for 2022 include the resilience and innovation award to honour organisations who have built on their strengths, innovated their business and showed incredible resilience during a difficult time for the industry.

Another new unsung hero award recognises an individual working for a tourism business who excels in their role and deserves to be applauded for their work and commitment to the industry.

Ashley Young, senior marketing and communications manager at Make It York, said: “We are so proud of the vibrant and flourishing tourism sector in York, which welcomes millions of visitors to the city each year as well as creates an atmosphere full of culture and diversity for the residents.

"There are so many organisations around the city working incredibly hard year round to deliver the highest quality visitor experiences, which has been especially challenging during the past two years.

"The awards will reward those who are truly exceptional in their field. Good luck to all finalists – we all look forward to celebrating the successes at the ceremony in March.”

David Horne, managing director at LNER, which is sponsoring the event, said: “From historic sites to wonderful places to eat and stay, York has so much to offer and is one of our most popular destinations on the LNER route.

"It is therefore great to see so many of the city’s businesses and individuals who work incredibly hard to create outstanding visitor experiences, recognised at the Visit York Tourism Awards.”

Cllr Darryl Smalley, executive member for culture, leisure and communities, said: “We all know what an incredibly challenging 18 months these businesses will all have faced, and that’s why it’s more important than ever to celebrate the incredible range of businesses that York is lucky enough to be home to.

"These businesses are an essential part of our great city and I am delighted to see such a diverse group of finalists this year. I wish them all the best of luck and whilst it’s been said many times before, it really is a significant achievement to be shortlisted and you are all winners already.”

Visit York Tourism Awards Finalists 2022:

B&B and Guest House

MonkBridge House

Tower Guest House

Westergate House

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park

Springwood Shepherd Huts Glamping York

Wigwam Holidays Ball Hall Farm

Wolds Walk Glamping

Experience

Castle Howard

The Bloody Tour of York

The Cookery School at The Grand, York

The Deathly Dark Tours

Event

That JORVIK Viking Thing

The Great Ryedale Maze

York Balloon Fiesta

York Maze

Large Hotel

Hotel Indigo York

Middletons Hotel

The Grand, York

The Principal York

Sandburn Hall Hotel

Large Visitor Attraction

JORVIK Viking Centre

The York Dungeon

York Art Gallery

York’s Chocolate Story

New Tourism Business

The Deathly Dark Tours

Malmaison York

Sandburn Hall Hotel

York Riverside Apartments

Pub

House of Trembling Madness Lendal

House of Trembling Madness Stonegate

The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub

Self Catering Accommodation

Heritage Escapes (York)

Roomzzz Aparthotels – York City

Staycity Aparthotels

The Enchantment Chamber

The Riverside York

Resilience and Innovation Award

The Deathly Dark Tours

The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway

The Web Adventure Park

Trembling Madness Ltd

York Gin

Shop Experience

The Antiques Centre York

York’s Chocolate Story

York Gin

Small Hotel

Galtres Lodge

Grays Court Hotel & The Bow Room Restaurant

The Judge’s Lodging

Small Visitor Attraction

Fairfax House

Mother Shipton’s

York Army Museum

Taste of England Award**

Forest at Galtres Lodge

Mr Chippy York

Plush Café

The Bow Room Restaurant at Grays Court Hotel

The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub

Unsung Hero Award

Dean Court Hotel

Middletons Hotel

Galtres Lodge