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Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to some of the most common questions: 

Our judges are well used to comparing businesses of very different types and sizes, usually asking themselves the question: “can this business be any better at what it is?” as well as "how well does this business deliver to its target audience?"  In the past this has led to satisfactory comparisons of individual cottages with large complexes, as well as surf schools with car hire companies. Customer expectations differ for different businesses types and sizes, and so do those of our judges.

See answer above – the same answer applies!

Tourism is a huge and diverse industry and we try to offer an opportunity for every business to enter, but have to balance this out with categories that have enough entries to make them viable and the need for an awards night that finishes at a sensible hour! If you can't find a category to match your business, please get in touch with us and we'll give you guidance on what to do.

We’d love to visit every business that enters, but our judges are mainly volunteers and the whole programme has to be handled within the budgets made possible by sponsor funding. We will normally visit the top scoring entrants in each category, but will do our best to visit as many as we can.

Almost certainly not!  Judges want to see the passion for excellence that comes from a business owner or manager.  They want evidence rather than ‘fluff’ – and won’t be impressed by hyperbolae and marketing-speak.  Please be yourself!

Remarkably, the last few years have seen very few ‘repeat winners’ and the judging requirement for year-on-year quality enhancements makes it very hard for anyone to win again unless they have made significant new investments in their business or are genuinely outstanding in their field.  While we don’t believe in creating artificial ‘rules’ to prevent winners from entering again, we don’t encourage it and are always delighted to see new entrants.

Please remember that accessibility is about you doing what you reasonably can to offer a quality experience to all visitors, whatever their needs. It therefore relates to mothers with buggies, people with allergies, those with visual or hearing impairment, just as much as those with mobility needs.  Use your answer to illustrate what you have done to be as accessible and inclusive as you reasonably can!

You certainly can, but please don’t sit back and expect the business to flow in.  Winning an award gives you a great ‘tool’ and media story, and if used effectively in your own PR, social media and marketing, you should certainly expect to win new business.  We’ll do all we can to help and suggest some of the tools you may consider using.

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