Yorkshire Business Tourism Awards 2009 - The Winners
Insider’s Yorkshire Business Tourism Awards 2009 held on 19th March recognised those
organisations and venues that go the extra mile to bring more business into Yorkshire
and celebrated the very best of a burgeoning business tourism industry that represents
23 per cent of the region's gross domestic tourism and 29 per cent of inbound
tourism. This year the awards coincided with the Northern Venue Exhibition at
the Royal Armouries, a showcase for the very best companies, venues and individuals
the Yorkshire business tourism sector has to offer.
The Winners
Large Venue of the Year
Winner Sheffield City Hall
For this award judges were looking to reward venues in Yorkshire with the capacity to put on large trade shows, conferences and other events for more than 350 people. The judges were particularly impressed with the way Sheffield City Hall has stormed into the market this year, increasing business tourism activity by 90 per cent since 2007.
Shortlist Harrogate International Centre, Sheffield City Hall, Ponds Forge ISC, Leeds United Football Club
Sponsored by Yorkshire South Tourism
Winner Sheffield City Hall
For this award judges were looking to reward venues in Yorkshire with the capacity to put on large trade shows, conferences and other events for more than 350 people. The judges were particularly impressed with the way Sheffield City Hall has stormed into the market this year, increasing business tourism activity by 90 per cent since 2007.
Shortlist Harrogate International Centre, Sheffield City Hall, Ponds Forge ISC, Leeds United Football Club
Sponsored by Yorkshire South Tourism
Small Venue of the Year
Winner The Source at Meadowhall, Sheffield
Highly commended Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, Leeds
This category proves that excellence in events is not always about the big and the brash, as this category is aimed at venues that cater for between ten and 349 people. The Source’s unique ways of adding value to its meetings, such as offering wake-up sessions with a personal trainer, made it stand out to the judges.
Shortlist Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, Leeds; The Met Hotel, Leeds; The Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough; The Source at Meadowhall, Sheffield
Sponsored by Edge Projects
Winner The Source at Meadowhall, Sheffield
Highly commended Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, Leeds
This category proves that excellence in events is not always about the big and the brash, as this category is aimed at venues that cater for between ten and 349 people. The Source’s unique ways of adding value to its meetings, such as offering wake-up sessions with a personal trainer, made it stand out to the judges.
Shortlist Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, Leeds; The Met Hotel, Leeds; The Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough; The Source at Meadowhall, Sheffield
Sponsored by Edge Projects
Unique Venue of the Year
Winner Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax
This category rewards those venues that have really made the most of what is quirky or unconventional about their venue and used that to create an experience that will stay in the business visitor’s mind for years to come. Eureka! demonstrated a good diversity of product and customer testimonials. Judges thought it was a great venue for a memorable event.
Shortlist Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield; Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax; Leeds City Museum; The Freedom Centre, Hull; National Media Museum, Bradford
Sponsored by World Events
Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax. This category rewards those
venues that have really made the most of what is quirky or unconventional about
their venue and used that to create an experience that will stay in the business
visitor’s mind for years to come. Eureka! demonstrated a good diversity of product
and customer testimonials. Judges thought it was a great venue for a memorable
event.
Winner Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax
This category rewards those venues that have really made the most of what is quirky or unconventional about their venue and used that to create an experience that will stay in the business visitor’s mind for years to come. Eureka! demonstrated a good diversity of product and customer testimonials. Judges thought it was a great venue for a memorable event.
Shortlist Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield; Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax; Leeds City Museum; The Freedom Centre, Hull; National Media Museum, Bradford
Sponsored by World Events
Best Business Hotel of the Year
Winner Radisson SAS Leeds
The judges were looking for a hotel that could show it really understands its business customers and how their needs differ from its leisure customers, thereby building repeat business. The Radisson SAS could list a number of specific services designed for business customers, such as its Grab & Run breakfasts for busy travellers.
Shortlist Radisson SAS Leeds; Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, Leeds; Aston Hall, Sheffield; The Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough; The Met Hotel, Leeds
Sponsored by Yorkshire South Tourism
Team of the Year
Winner Leeds United Football Club
Outstanding events need an outstanding team behind them and this award seeks to recognise both those teams and their achievements. The team at Leeds United has been praised for being both efficient and professional and for its excellent communication skills, which led to the venue winning 100 new conference accounts last year.
Shortlist Royal Armouries International Conference Team, Leeds; Ponds Forge ISC, Sheffield; Conference Leeds; The Great Victoria Hotel, Bradford; Leeds United Football Club
Sponsored by Fantastic Media
Winner Leeds United Football Club
Outstanding events need an outstanding team behind them and this award seeks to recognise both those teams and their achievements. The team at Leeds United has been praised for being both efficient and professional and for its excellent communication skills, which led to the venue winning 100 new conference accounts last year.
Shortlist Royal Armouries International Conference Team, Leeds; Ponds Forge ISC, Sheffield; Conference Leeds; The Great Victoria Hotel, Bradford; Leeds United Football Club
Sponsored by Fantastic Media
Best Corporate Event of the Year
Winner President’s Ball - Magna Science Adventure Centre and Rotherham Chamber
This award has been extended from last year’s Corporate Hospitality award to include sporting, cultural, entertainment or team-building events. The contest was between two very different experiences - a dinner for 400 people with the theme of Around the World in 80 Day versus a formal dinner for 24 VIPs. The judges said they could imagine walking through the President’s Ball, being welcomed by Phileas Fogg, admiring cultural dances from around the world and sampling a menu of international delights.
Shortlist The European Ambassadors’ Lunch - Dine and Leeds Civil Trust; President’s Ball - Magna Science Adventure Centre and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce
Sponsored by Conference Leeds
New Venue of the Year
Winner The Spa, Bridlington
Highly commended Speedmaster Conference Centre, Bradford
This category included newly built or refurbished venues that have been designed around a specific USP to make their mark as they appear on the scene. Judges thought the impact of Bridlington Spa on the local economy, and the additional investment in the town’s infrastructure, will spark the transformation of that part of the East Yorkshire coast.
Shortlist Speedmaster Conference Centre, Bradford; The Spa, Bridlington; Valiant at The National Railway Museum, York; The Royal Hall, Harrogate; The Chambers, Leeds; The World Trade Centre, Hull & Humber
Sponsored by Exclusive
Winner President’s Ball - Magna Science Adventure Centre and Rotherham Chamber
This award has been extended from last year’s Corporate Hospitality award to include sporting, cultural, entertainment or team-building events. The contest was between two very different experiences - a dinner for 400 people with the theme of Around the World in 80 Day versus a formal dinner for 24 VIPs. The judges said they could imagine walking through the President’s Ball, being welcomed by Phileas Fogg, admiring cultural dances from around the world and sampling a menu of international delights.
Shortlist The European Ambassadors’ Lunch - Dine and Leeds Civil Trust; President’s Ball - Magna Science Adventure Centre and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce
Sponsored by Conference Leeds
New Venue of the Year
Winner The Spa, Bridlington
Highly commended Speedmaster Conference Centre, Bradford
This category included newly built or refurbished venues that have been designed around a specific USP to make their mark as they appear on the scene. Judges thought the impact of Bridlington Spa on the local economy, and the additional investment in the town’s infrastructure, will spark the transformation of that part of the East Yorkshire coast.
Shortlist Speedmaster Conference Centre, Bradford; The Spa, Bridlington; Valiant at The National Railway Museum, York; The Royal Hall, Harrogate; The Chambers, Leeds; The World Trade Centre, Hull & Humber
Sponsored by Exclusive
Personality of the Year
Winner Nicky Lockwood, manager, Conference Leeds
There is no shortlist for this category simply because a clear winner stood out for this much-deserved accolade. The judges were looking for individuals who had made a significant contribution to bringing more business tourists into Yorkshire - and to have done so in a way that showcased their own personal style. Not only is Nicky to be congratulated on her results at Conference Leeds, where she has forged strong links between the public and private sectors, but also for her personal passion for the industry and can-do attitude.
Sponsored by The R&B Group
Winner Nicky Lockwood, manager, Conference Leeds
There is no shortlist for this category simply because a clear winner stood out for this much-deserved accolade. The judges were looking for individuals who had made a significant contribution to bringing more business tourists into Yorkshire - and to have done so in a way that showcased their own personal style. Not only is Nicky to be congratulated on her results at Conference Leeds, where she has forged strong links between the public and private sectors, but also for her personal passion for the industry and can-do attitude.
Sponsored by The R&B Group
The Grand Prix Award
Winner Sheffield City Hall
This award goes to the organisation that the judges felt went the extra mile in 2008 – an organisation that shows people what business tourism in Yorkshire is really all about. Sheffield City Hall created the most excitement among the judges for its complete transformation. The venue estimates its direct delegate spend at £8m over the past three years - £4.1m of which was created in the last year after almost doubling its business tourism activity.
Shortlist Sheffield City Hall; The Source at Meadowhall, Sheffield; Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax; Radisson SAS, Leeds; Magna Science Adventure Centre and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce – for the President’s Ball; The Spa, Bridlington
Sponsored by Conference Leeds
Winner Sheffield City Hall
This award goes to the organisation that the judges felt went the extra mile in 2008 – an organisation that shows people what business tourism in Yorkshire is really all about. Sheffield City Hall created the most excitement among the judges for its complete transformation. The venue estimates its direct delegate spend at £8m over the past three years - £4.1m of which was created in the last year after almost doubling its business tourism activity.
Shortlist Sheffield City Hall; The Source at Meadowhall, Sheffield; Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax; Radisson SAS, Leeds; Magna Science Adventure Centre and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce – for the President’s Ball; The Spa, Bridlington
Sponsored by Conference Leeds
