New for 2008

York Tourism Awards for Excellence

For the first time, York Hospitality Association and York Tourism Bureau came together under the 'Visit York' banner
to design and deliver an all new Tourism Awards for Excellence

The Awards are open to all tourism-based businesses in the York area.  Nominations can be made by owners, employers, managers and colleagues.
On this page, you can read about the categories that are available, how the categories are organised, sponsors of the various Awards, the judging process and the Award's Dinner itself.

Categories (outlines of all categories can be seen by clicking here)

The Awards open to all employees are: (Click here for application form)

• Housekeeping
• Restaurant/Bar
• Chef/Kitchen Assistant
• Sales, Administration and Reservations (includes Receptionist)
• Supervisor / Dept Manager

But also there are the following: (Click here for application forms A and B)

• Outstanding Customer Care
• Guesthouse Award
• Attraction
• Self Catering Accommodation
• Hotel
• Conference Business
• Eating Place

• The Employer Award (Click here for application form)
• Ambassador Award (Chosen from within the industry)

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On the basis of the application form a number of candidates will be short-listed by panel. In most cases, short interviews and or visits to working establishments will be made. The winners will be announced at the Awards Dinner. Whereever possible, both categories and / or persons will be 'mystery shopped'.

Organisation:

The various awards are organised by different groups:

• The Employer’s Award is designed to be completed by both the employer and the employee(s).
• The Employees Awards are intended for individuals who are recognised by customers, colleagues and employers as being exemplary in many areas of their work.
• The Establishment Awards are for businesses in York (or people within them) that make York worth visiting.
• The Ambassador Award is for a person who consciously and subconsciously promotes York and / or York businesses as a Tourism destination.

Sponsors

This year the sponsors are as follows:

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Awards Dinner:

The Awards Dinner itself, was on Wednesday 16th April and is organised by Visit York, who underwrite the event. The venue for 2008 will be the York Race Course. Tickets cost £35 (incl.VAT) each.

Ticket price includes:

• Drinks Reception
• Awards Ceremony
• A three-course meal (prepared and served by the York Race Course)
• Coffee and Chocolates
• Music and Dancing.

Each year around 380 people attend and are seated in groups of 10. It is always a 'glittering affair'.

Dress code for the event is ‘Black tie/Lounge suit’.

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The Judges Criteria for Judging:

The Employer Award: The Judges need to re-assure themselves that Employers meet statutory requirements. However, their main focus will be on the quality of candidates practise, including imaginative / innovative practise.

The Employee Awards: The ideal candidate for each of these awards is somebody who performs in an exemplary manner within their position but with ‘added value’. So, performs ‘above and beyond the call of duty'. This means Best Chef, for example, is not necessarily best in ‘craft skills’ but the one who will try different things, works well with others, will ‘go the extra mile’ etc. It could even be the Kitchen Assistant who is very flexible and efficient, outstanding in some way…

The Customer Care Award: Nominations can be received for this from members of the public or from Employers. An ideal candidate will have been nominated by both because then their 'customer care skills' have been recognised from both inside and outside the industry.

Judging Process:

From the applications received, a panel of judges draw up a shortlist. The short-listed people are mystery shopped or invited to interview and to the Awards Dinner. The judges then decide, from the visits or interviews, which person will receive the award. The nominees find out who has won, at the Awards Dinner, in an "Oscars style" ceremony.

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Sources of Information:

For information and/or application forms (see above or contact):

Pauline Cresswell Tel: 01904 554455 or email: ph@york-tourism.co.uk

Michael Hjort or Debbie Waite Tel: 635149 or email: mh@yorkhospitality.co.uk or deb@yorkhospitality.co.uk

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