East Midlands’ Tourism Awards set to be celebrated at joint Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire ceremony next Spring

Shining stars of the East Midlands’ vibrant tourism industry will be celebrated at a prestigious joint awards ceremony hosted by Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, next spring.

It has been announced that the winners of the Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards and the Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards will be revealed at a glittering joint awards ceremony held at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham on 20th March 2025.

The region’s two Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) – Visit Nottinghamshire and Visit Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby – are joining forces to deliver the awards ceremony in partnership for the first time, to celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement across the tourism sector and give local businesses an opportunity to share their success stories, generate valuable publicity and reach new customers.

From B&Bs and visitor attractions to hotels, campsites and unique experiences, the diverse award categories reflect the breadth of the region’s tourism landscape.

The awards are held in partnership with VisitEngland and Gold winners will have the opportunity to progress onto the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025, which represent the highest accolades in English tourism

The awards ceremony is supported by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) to celebrate the success of local tourism businesses whilst highlighting both region sector’s vital £5.25BN of economic impact contribution to the East Midlands’ economy.

The evening will bring together 500 guests from across the region’s tourism, leisure, culture and hospitality industries, including shortlisted businesses from 30 overall awards categories plus local MPs, partners and stakeholders.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said: “One of my priorities is to boost tourism and celebrate our region’s heritage, vibrancy, culture and natural beauty through my Visit East Midlands campaign. This joint awards ceremony is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate excellence in all aspects of tourism across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, and I’m delighted to host and support these awards.”
 
Megan Powell Vreeswijk, CEO of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire including Visit Nottinghamshire, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Visit Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby for this landmark joint awards ceremony. Bringing together two of the East Midlands’ key tourism regions under one roof allows us to shine an even brighter spotlight on the incredible businesses that make our visitor economy thrive. 

"This collaboration not only showcases the exceptional talent and innovation across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire but also highlights the £5.25bn contribution tourism makes to the wider East Midlands economy. We look forward to celebrating the success stories of our local businesses and offering them a platform to gain national recognition through the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. It's an exciting time for tourism in our region, and with the support from Mayor Claire, this event will truly demonstrate the power of partnership in driving growth and excellence.”

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, said: “We’re excited to be joining forces with our LVEP partners in Nottinghamshire to deliver a glittering joint awards ceremony celebrating the very best of tourism in the East Midlands next spring.The Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards are a celebration of the passionate, hardworking and innovative businesses who continually raise the bar of our world-class tourism offer. 

"Not only do these awards showcase the sheer quality of our tourism products, but they also highlight the value of our visitor economy and the important role the industry plays in driving growth, creating jobs, and making the region such a great place to live, work and visit.The visitor economy is a vital yet often underappreciated asset of the East Midlands, and this event will help us harness the industry’s full potential so we can truly start to punch above our weight.” 

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “It’s great to see these two amazing Awards come together, ramping up the impact and value of entering for tourism businesses in Nottinghamshire, Peak District and Derbyshire.  These areas have truly outstanding national winners, and we look forward to welcoming the regional award winners to the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in 2025. I wish all of those who enter the very best of luck.” 

For more details on the Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards please visit this link.

For more details on the Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards please visit (applications open until 28th October 2024, click here.