Bristol’s phenomenally-successful Gromit Unleashed art trail, which contributed an estimated £120m to the local economy, has been named Tourism Event of the Year in the city’s annual Tourism and Hospitality Awards.
Around 1.18m people came to Bristol last summer to tour the 80 statues of the canine superstar around the city – garnering worldwide media exposure and putting Bristol firmly on the map as a family-friendly destination. 
Gromit Unleashed was among the winners at Destination Bristol’s Tourism and Hospitality Awards, staged at Bristol Marriott City Centre hotel and hosted by Jack FM’s Ian Downs. The awards attracted 150 nominations.
Among the other winners were Horts pub in the Old City, which was named Pub of the Year, At-Bristol Science Centre’s ice rink scooped the Tourism Experience of the Year award. The winning organisations now go forward to represent Bristol in the VisitEngland Awards, taking place in May.
At-Bristol’s outdoor ice rink ran for eight weeks, and attracted more than 20,000 skaters.
At-Bristol chief executive Phi Winfield, commercial & operations director Donna Speed and members of the At-Bristol team were on hand to collect their award.
Mr Winfield said: “It really is testament to the hard work from the teams across At-Bristol, and a great way to round off a fantastic year. It’s great to be recognised for what we bring in terms of tourism and hospitality to the city.”
In addition to 17 award categories, a special award went to Josh Eggleton, joint proprietor and head chef at Michelin-starred pub The Pony and Trap in Chew Magna, in recognition of his efforts to set Bristol apart as a prime destination for quality food and drink.
Josh launched the annual Eat, Drink Bristol Fashion event and devised the menu at Yurt Lush, a unique restaurant housed in a Mongolian yurt at Bristol’s Creative Common.
Destination Bristol head of tourism Kathryn Davis said: “The awards ceremony is our annual opportunity to bring together tourism businesses and individuals from the area and celebrate their achievements over the last 12 months. We had very worthy nominations in all the categories, and picking winners from such a strong field was a huge challenge.
“It highlights what a great range of first-rate attractions, entertainment, eateries and accommodation we have in Bristol, but crucially it also recognises the efforts of the exceptional individuals that are behind them.”
Bristol’s M Shed won the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year category. Housed within a 1950s dockside transit shed, M Shed, which opened in June 2011, is an innovative museum for Bristol telling the story of the city through the stories of people who helped shape it.
Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives deputy head strategy & development Tim Corum said: “A huge amount of hard work goes on behind the scenes at M Shed to ensure our visitors have a fantastic time – so much so, they come back again and again.
"And with more than 700,000 visits, it’s really important our outstanding collections and exhibitions are exciting and stimulating and appeal to people of all ages and interests.”
The awards evening also raised money for Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal, supporting The Bristol Children’s Hospital.
The full winners list is:
Bed and Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year: Berwick Lodge
Self-catering/Serviced Apartments of the Year: SACO Bristol Broad Quay
Small Hotel of the Year: Thornbury Castle
Sustainable Tourism Award: Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
Business Tourism Award: The Bristol Hotel
Tourism Experience of the Year: At-Bristol Science Centre Ice Rink
Tourism Event of the Year: Gromit Unleashed
Access for All: Bailey Balloons
Taste of Bristol: River Cottage Canteen Bristol
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: M Shed
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: Bristol Ferry Boats
Large Hotel of the Year: Hotel du Vin
Pub of the Year: Horts
Individual Award for Hospitality Customer Service: Peeradej Swetnant, Holiday Inn Filton
Individual Award for Customer Service, Attractions: Pete Hayes, City Sightseeing Bristol
Team of the Year, Hospitality: Housekeeping: The Bristol Hotel
Team of the Year Award, Attractions: Groups & Access Team: The Bristol Hippodrome
