Applications for Lancashire Tourism Awards 2027 Now Open
The Lancashire Tourism Awards, the only county-wide celebration of Lancashire’s tourism and hospitality businesses, is now open to applications from businesses across the county. Applications opened today (Thursday 14 May) for the annual awards, which are managed and hosted by Marketing Lancashire, leading the LVEP (Local Visitor Economy Partnership) for Lancashire, and are the stepping stone for local businesses to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
The Lancashire Tourism Awards 2027 ceremony will be held at King George’s Hall in Blackburn on Wednesday 10 February 2027, with Headline Sponsor Blackpool & The Fylde College and Destination Sponsor Blackburn with Darwen Council.
Tourism and hospitality businesses have 22 categories to choose from; categories that cover all types of accommodation, events and attractions big and small, visitor experiences, food & drink providers, cultural venue and even ‘student’ and ‘unsung hero’ awards. Details and entry criteria for each award can be found at lancashiretourismawards.com as well as all the important dates in the process, including the main deadline for completed applications of Tuesday 30 June. The student and events categories have a later closing date – see applications for details.
Vikki Harris, Marketing & Partnership Director of Marketing Lancashire commenting today said ‘The Lancashire Tourism Awards are the only county-wide awards that recognise Lancashire’s best tourism and hospitality businesses, providing a wide range of businesses, old and new, the chance to raise their profile locally, regionally and nationally.
‘For tourism businesses that have never entered the Lancashire Tourism Awards or perhaps haven’t been shortlisted before, this year really could be your year! It’s free to enter, the application form is simple, and the process is thorough and aligned with Visit England criteria. Our independent judges are professional and always put our applicants at ease; many applicants look forward to our judging days, enjoying the chance to share their enthusiasm for their business and pride in their teams, with an appreciative and knowledgeable panel of experts. Some even say it’s fun.
‘Take this easy step towards greater recognition, increased customer awareness and win the attention your business and colleagues truly deserve. We can’t wait to receive your Lancashire Tourism Award applications and to celebrate the county’s incredible tourism businesses together.’
Annie Kerfoot, Vice Principal, Foundational Economy at Blackpool & The Fylde College, said: ‘We are delighted to continue as headline sponsor of the Lancashire Tourism Awards in 2027.
‘These awards are the flagship celebration of our regional tourism and hospitality sector, showcasing the incredible work being done to create careers, progression and new opportunities at every stage of people’s working lives.
‘We share a strong commitment with Marketing Lancashire to championing excellence, supporting skills development and helping to shape the future workforce.
‘This vital sector plays a significant economic role and also defines us as a place – reflecting our character, our welcome and what makes Lancashire distinctive to millions of residents and visitors alike.’
Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Destination Sponsor said: ‘We’re proud to be hosting the 2027 Lancashire Tourism Awards at King George’s Hall, which is set for a grand reopening this autumn following £14m of brand-new investment.
‘These awards are an important celebration of tourism right across our county, and we have so much to celebrate here in Blackburn with Darwen with our own impressive cultural offer.
“The Tourism Awards are part of a packed new line-up for the iconic venue, with performances already announced for the likes of Gabrielle, Jason Donovan, The Proclaimers, David Essex, Tim Peake, Shed Seven, Paul Smith, Lucy Beaumont and a brand-new panto, Wizard of Oz. Plus, there’s so still more to be announced.
‘We’re really looking forward to welcoming all the finalists and giving them a memorable evening at one of the region’s most historic and much-loved entertainment venues – good luck to everyone who enters.’
Sponsors of the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2027 confirmed so far include returning sponsors: B&D Print Services, Blackpool Gazette, Conferences & Events at Burnley Football Club, Harrison Drury, Insight6, Lancashire Life, Lancashire Post, Lancashire Telegraph, Links Signs & Graphics, NPD, PM+M.
Qualifying winners of the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2027 will then go forward to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2027, with the chance of being named amongst the best in England. Winners of the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2026, who went on to be named finalists in this year’s Visit England Awards for Excellence were Eight at Gazegill by Doug Crampton, in the categories of Taste of England and Regenerative Tourism, and Andy Black from HAPPA (Horses and Ponies Protection Association) in the Unsung Hero category. They must now wait until the 3 June and the national awards ceremony taking place at Aerospace Bristol, to know their fate.
Marketing Lancashire’s Vikki Harris concludes ‘We’re incredibly proud to support Andy Black from HAPPA and the team at Eight at Gazegill by Doug Crampton who are up for two awards and will represent Lancashire in the Visit England Awards for Excellence, taking place in Bristol in June. These worthy winners of Lancashire Tourism Awards are now in line for a gold, silver or bronze award in these prestigious awards and we couldn’t be happier for them. They deserve this national recognition and demonstrate the world-class quality of Lancashire’s tourism and hospitality businesses and people.’
If you would like to support or sponsor the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2027 please contact Maria Moriarty-Eames at [email protected].
For more details and application forms go to www.Lancashiretourismawards.com . For all the latest news and updates follow #LTA27 @MarketingLancs on X and on LinkedIn.