Region’s Top Visitor Spots Make Tourism Awards Shortlist
The shortlist for the 2027 North East England Tourism Awards has been revealed following a record number of entries.
The best places to visit, taste, stay and experience will compete for the region’s top tourism accolades, with the shortlist for the 2027 North East England Tourism Awards now announced.
Delivered by Experience North East England in partnership with the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, the awards have celebrated the region’s visitor economy for almost two and a half decades.
Independent judges have considered a record number of entries to shortlist the best accommodation providers, venues, eateries, attractions and experiences. These shortlisted businesses will now be subject to a rigorous second round of judging by independent experts. Pre-announced or mystery shopper visits, depending on the category, will take place before the winners are revealed at the awards ceremony in March 2027.
The awards champion the businesses and people who work tirelessly throughout the year to attract more than 69 million visitors to the region. They celebrate outstanding customer service, innovation and the unforgettable experiences for which North East England is known.
Winning a North East England Tourism Award is a recognised mark of excellence and quality, with previous winners reporting increases in bookings, visitor numbers, profile and visibility after participating in the awards. Winners in eligible categories will also have the opportunity to compete nationally at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in June 2027.
The awards programme also offers a range of business support, including expert webinars and customer experience workshops designed to help businesses improve and develop their visitor offering.
Alongside the shortlist announcement, entries have opened for four additional, specially designed local categories, giving businesses another opportunity to be recognised at the March 2027 ceremony.
The four categories are Festival or Event of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, Cultural or Live Venue of the Year and Independent Business of the Year. The first two categories return, while the latter two have been introduced for the 2027 awards.
These local categories join the 16 core categories set by VisitEngland, which closed for entries in August. Winners of the core categories will be eligible for consideration at the national finals in June 2027.
Businesses have until 12 noon on 9 November 2026 to enter the four additional categories.
Find out more and enter at: https://experiencenortheastengland.co.uk/neeta
Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, said:
“We want more people to come here and experience all our region’s treasures, from our world-renowned history and heritage to our dramatic coastlines and beautiful countryside.
“These incredible finalists represent the diverse array of experiences, places and people visitors will discover when they come here, and they show why North East England is such a fantastic, welcoming and unforgettable place to visit.”
Ian Thomas, Interim Chief Executive of Experience North East England, said:
“The North East England Tourism Awards offer us an opportunity to celebrate the incredible, hard-working businesses and people who make this industry tick and who work so hard to make every experience unforgettable for millions of visitors.
“It is fantastic to see yet another record-breaking number of entries and such a diverse array of businesses, of all shapes and sizes, represented.
“These awards are all about celebrating the people, businesses and experiences that make our region such a special place to visit. As we work towards our ambition to double the value of the visitor economy, championing excellence and showcasing the quality and diversity of our sector has never been more important.
“A huge congratulations to all our 2027 finalists.”
The awards are led by destination marketing agency Experience North East England, in partnership with Visit Northumberland, Visit County Durham, NewcastleGateshead Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) and all seven local authorities, recognising excellence across the North East’s visitor economy.