Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards How To Enter

Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards 2024/2025 – How To Enter

Key Dates:

Application Stage – 1 May – 31 July 2024
Round 1 Judging – 1 August – 31 August 2024
Round 2 Judging – 1 September – 31 October 2024
Finalists Announced – November 2024
Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards Evening – 21 February 2025

First Steps:

Check that you are eligible for the category by checking the ‘Eligibility’ section on your categories entry form. – Click Here
Create an account on OpenWater and start your submission, you can save and print off partially completed forms to review at any time prior to submitting the final version. Click Here
It is possible to include links to relevant online evidence to illustrate your answer but this is optional, you will not be penalised if you have not included supplementary evidence. Any written answers that are included within the supplementary evidence attempting to circumvent the question word counts, will be disregarded. It is however vital that you make the most of the word count and answer each question fully.
When your form is completed, click submit. This must be before the deadlines published on the Key Dates section above, late entries cannot be accepted. You will receive a confirmation email to acknowledge receipt of your entry.
If you prefer you can download the sample entry forms should you wish to look at the entry forms before creating an online account. Click Here
If your experience or business is located in another County, details of others schemes can be found on the VisitEngland Awards website. Click Here

Top Tips

Start preparing your entry early and don’t leave things till the last minute, the deadline can not be extended.
Read the questions and the “checklist” points (after each question) before you start to consider what you are going to include.
Why not share drafts with colleagues/customers to get more ideas?
Use the word count for each question and provide a full answer, do not leave any question blank or give one line answers as you will not score as many points. Marks are awarded for each question and you want to score the maximum possible.
Shout about why you are excellent and back it up with evidence. In your final online submission you will not be able to exceed the word limit.
VisitEngland has a range of business advice on their website should you need any assistance regarding sustainability or access.
Explain why you are different, unique and be passionate about your commitment to excellence.
Provide evidence of success for each question including weblinks that relate to each answer.
Answer factually and honestly. If you are mystery shopped, your claims will be checked.
Feedback and quotes from visitors make strong evidence. Tourism is a people business and judges are looking for evidence that you have made a difference to someone’s visit.
Presentation matters. Make it easy to read, use simple English and avoid jargon.
Do a spell check and proof read – and if possible get someone else to read through your entry to check anything you may have missed.
Make your entry stand out by focusing on what is unusual or innovative, don’t be modest, this is your chance to shine.
Check every page and link to your website(s) and social media – judges will be looking here too.

Round 1 judging has a section about the business background, online presence & reviews and then four questions. Below are some key points/themes that you should include within the question section of your application.

Question 1: Your Top Qualities

Unique selling points, strengths and the essence of your business:

Quality of your core product and customer experience
Added extras that delight your customers
How you care for your team
Use and promotion of local suppliers
Innovative marketing and PR
Facilities and welcome for people with accessibility requirements
Managing and improving environmental, social and economic impacts
Innovative adaption, diversification and/or resilience building

Question 2: Your Recent Improvements

Explain your reasons for making the improvements and indicate which parts of the business are impacted:

Promotional initiatives
Improving the skills of you and your team
Expansion, upgrade of facilities, enhancements to your services
Facilities and welcome for people with accessibility requirements
Managing and improving environmental, social and economic impacts
Innovative adaption, diversification and/ or resilience building
Use of digital technologies
Approximate date of improvement

Question 3: Your Results

Are you able to attribute success directly to any of the improvements that you’ve made (Question 2)?
How significant has the impact been on your business?
Don’t be vague, use figures and specific examples i.e. ✓ % increase in occupancy levels/visitor numbers, sales, customer satisfaction and wastage reduction.

✓ % increase in online bookings or repeat business
✓ Business generated from marketing activity
✓ Growth of social media following and engagement

Question 4: Your Future Plans

Continued innovation, adaption, diversification and/ or resilience building.