Bristol’s Colston Hall, Hippodrome and SS Great Britain were among the winners at last night’s prestigious South West Tourism Excellence Awards.
Held in Exeter Cathedral, the awards championed the quality and breadth of the region’s tourist industry – from guest houses, hotels, campsites and pubs to large attractions, cultural venues and one-off events.
Some 95 awards were presented following a rigorous judging process of the record 490 entries. 
The Hippodrome and Colston Hall both won Bronze in the Access & Inclusivity category while the SS Great Britain also landed a Bronze award in the Large Attraction of the Year category.
Bristol-based serviced apartment firm SACO gained Bronze for Self Catering and the Treehouse at Harptree Court was highly commended in the same category.
Highly commended in the Venue & Business Tourism section were Aztec Hotel & Spa at Aztec West and Clevedon Hall in Clevedon.
Other winners included Cheddar Woods Resort & Spa, Cheddar, which won Silver in the Holiday Park & Holiday Village category while Bath’s Roman Baths landed the title of ‘winner of winners’
The Roman Baths, which attract one million visitors a year, also won Gold in the Access and Inclusivity category.
There are now 26 South West entrants in the national finals which take place next month.
All entrants in the South West underwent a rigorous short-listing process with 296 being visited by a team of 42 mystery shoppers. Entry was free, and all entrants received feedback on how they had done, giving them useful tips for future success.
Travel journalist and chair of Family Holiday Association Alison Rice, who also chaired the judging panel, said: “These high-calibre awards reflect the quality and breadth of the treasures that visitors to the south west can enjoy. The judging panel of tourism professionals did not have an easy time.”
For a full list of finalists and highly commended entrants go to www.southwesttourismawards.org.uk
The video of the awards ceremony can be seen at https://youtu.be/hE7eCia1_IY
