Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards Judging 2025
Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards 2025 – Judging
- Judging is carried out by an independent panel, selected for their impartiality, professional experience and suitability for each category.
- The decision on which entries receive awards will be taken by a judging panel which will consider mystery shop reports, online presence and other available evidence. Their decision will be based on the evidence available at the time and will be final. The timing of the process means there can be no appeal process for the current year’s awards. Should any entrant consider that inaccurate evidence has been considered as part of the judging they should raise this with the awards coordinator at the earliest possible stage; such appeals may be taken into account in judging for the subsequent year.
- All entrants will receive summary feedback. Eligible winners may be selected to represent the area in the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
- The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in February 2026.
- Round 1
- Judging will be based on the information provided on your entry form along with your online presence and business reviews.
- Judges will also be looking for evidence of your commitment to accessible and inclusive tourism and ethical, responsible and sustainable tourism through your application forms.
- Judges will look at how your website and social media encourages visitors to come to Herefordshire, how they are inspired to choose your business, the information you provide and how it is viewed on different media formats (tablets, smartphones etc).
- Each application will be scored, based on your answers; if a question is left blank you will not receive a score for that question and this could affect your overall score.
- Round 2
- Selected businesses may be visited (mystery shopped where possible) by independent judges.
- Visits differ according to category. The information for this is in your application form.
- Please note that it is a requirement of entry that entrants agree to waive or refund the direct costs of a mystery visit should a mystery visit be arranged – eg admission tickets, accommodation, meals, treatments etc dependent on the category you have entered. The mystery visitor will present you with a letter of authorisation stating this after their visit, please advise your staff in advance that this may happen to avoid confusion. Receipt of your entry is taken as agreement to this requirement.
By submitting a completed form to us you have agreed to be bound to our terms and conditions of entry. Any data you provide will be handled in accordance with our GDPR Policy.
