Event Industry News

Local Leaders in Tourism Call Businesses to Enter Influential Highlands Awards

The Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards (HITA), now in its fifth year has launched the 2010 event to identify the region’s shining stars of tourism and has widened its reach to include areas within the Cairngorms National Park.  This exciting development comes as the Cairngorms National Park Authority join HITA as a sponsor of the ‘Most Enterprising Business in the Great Outdoors’ Award.

The Awards scheme, which is free to enter, recognises and rewards businesses and individuals delivering excellence throughout the Highlands and Island’s tourism industry.  The Awards play a significant role in the region’s successes in tourism, encouraging operators to strive to be the best and provides a platform for outstanding tourism businesses of all varieties to showcase their efforts, innovation and exceptional customer care.

Tourism expert and HITA Ambassador of the Year 2009, Gavin Ellis, of Knockomie Hotel, Forres who also won the Customer Care Award 2009, said of the awards;

“The Highlands and Islands Tourism awards are very important. Many people are trying to surprise, excel, and ensure visitors have a great time, but who is really making a difference? Which business is challenging us all to improve? We won’t know unless you encourage that business to enter. Go on give them the nudge to believe in themselves.”

The 2010 Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards have rejuvenated their categories and created two fresh awards for 2010.  The first, ‘Best Use of Social Media’ supported by new sponsor 4TM is designed to recognise those who make every effort to keep up to date with developments in the online and social networking world of promoting their business and our tourism industry and aim to be the very best at it.

The second new award for 2010 is the ‘Most Enterprising Business in the Great Outdoors’ supported by the Cairngorms National Park Authority.  This category will identify a business, new or already established which has demonstrated a truly innovative approach to developing products and services based on the assets and natural environment in the outdoors in the Highlands and Islands.

The 12 categories for 2010 are Best Use of Social Media Award sponsored by 4TM, Best Visitor Experience Award sponsored by Chivas, Community Tourism Initiative Award sponsored by Highland Council, Customer Care Award sponsored by VisitScotland, Developing People Award sponsored by Babcock, Highland Ambassador of the Year, Highland Dining Out Experience Award sponsored by Scottish Provincial Press, Young Ambassador of the Year Award sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland, Leadership Award sponsored by Inverness College & UHI Millennium Institute, Marketing Initiative Award sponsored by British Waterways and The Green Award sponsored by Kennan Recycling and Most Enterprising Business in the Great Outdoors Award sponsored by the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

The Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards, whose main sponsor is Royal Bank of Scotland, has gained four new sponsors for the 2010 Awards: Cairngorms National Park Authority, 4TM Social Media, Chivas and Keenan Recycling.

Liz Mackintosh, Chair of the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards said;

“We are thrilled to have widened our geographical area for 2010 gained four new sponsoring organisations: Cairngorms National Park Authority, 4TM, Chivas and Keenan Recycling.   The support from our sponsors comprises not only the financial aspects of running the event (which allows us to make the entry process free) and the benefits of our association with their prominent brands; many of them also offer us invaluable advice and assistance in their particular areas of expertise.”

Nominations and entries for the 2010 Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards can be submitted on-line at www.highland-tourism-awards-co.uk.  The closing date for registration is Friday 3^rd September and the deadline for entries is Monday 6^th September.

The shortlisted finalists will be announced in October and the winning businesses and individuals will be revealed at the awards ceremony and gala dinner at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness on Friday, 19^th November.  The high profile event attracts more than 350 representatives from the region’s top tourism, hospitality, and leisure and travel businesses.