Wrexham Businesses Encouraged to Celebrate Local Tourism Growth

Tourism businesses across Wrexham County Borough are being encouraged to nominate themselves in the forthcoming 2017 Wrexham Tourism Awards.

Now in its third year the awards ‘celebrate and showcase the achievements’ of Wrexham’s tourism industry – including the best visitor attraction, best restaurant / cafe and the rising star award.

Organised by Wrexham’s Destination Management Partnership, this year’s award ceremony will take place at a gala dinner at Chirk Castle on March 23.

The evening will also officially see Wrexham launch its Year of Legends tourism celebrations, including events such as DragonFest and a marketing campaign backed by Visit Wales to promote legendary reasons to visit the region this year.

Speaking about the upcoming ceremony, Chair of Wrexham’s Destination Partnership & Landlord at the Bridge End Inn Ruabon, Peter McGivern said: “These popular awards will showcase and celebrate the achievements, hard work and dedication of the hundreds of entrepreneurs who run businesses in this area.

“Tourism and hospitality are worth millions to the economy of Wrexham and North Wales, with the value growing every year. Nearly 2,000 people already work in the industry locally and there’s the potential to grow this, to enable more jobs to be created.”

Wrexham County is coming off the back of another bumper growth in local tourism, with an 11% growth measured in 2015 and over £111million being spent in the sector which supports nearly 1,700 local jobs.

Destination Manager at Wrexham County Borough Council, Joe Bickerton encouraged local tourism businesses to put themselves forward for the awards.

He said: “We want people to nominate their tourism business, by demonstrating their success and showing how they offer an exceptional experience to visitors – one that makes people return time and again to our area.

“There have also been some exceptional events in the last year such as Underneath the Arches, FOCUS Wales, the Stereophonics gig, the Christmas Light Switch on, and of course the monthly Street Festivals amongst many others.”

The 2017 categories are:

Best Small Accommodation provider (10 rooms or less)
Best Large Accommodation provider (10 rooms or more)
Best Self Catering Provider
Best Visitor Attraction
Best Restaurant or Café
Best Public House or Brewery
Award for Sourcing Local, Quality Food
Award for Best Use of Digital & Social Media
Wrexham Tourism Rising Star Award
Best Visitor Event

Nominations can be made by emailing a 100-word description about why your business, event or team member should be shortlisted for an award to [email protected] by February 5

A judging panel will then draw up a shortlist in each category, with the winners announced at the event on March 23.