Hertfordshire wins gold at British Travel Awards

1 November 2011

Hertfordshire took first place at the British Travel Awards 2011, winning the award for ‘Most Innovative 2012 Olympics Local Tourism Partnership’.

The British Travel Awards recognise excellence in the tourism industry and are considered the ‘Oscars’ of travel.

Enjoy! Hertfordshire, the county’s Tourism and Leisure Partnership, won this prestigious award for their 2012 Games marketing campaign that includes the Enjoy! Chequebook, which gives visitors over £500 worth of discounts and deals at attractions, restaurants and hotels in Hertfordshire.

Tim Hutchings, Chair of Enjoy! Hertfordshire, the county’s Tourism and Leisure Partnership, said: “We are thrilled to have won this award. This is fantastic news for Hertfordshire and it acknowledges the hard work of the Enjoy! Hertfordshire Partnership in promoting our county as a great tourist destination and also speaks volumes about the quality of our local tourism businesses.

“The partnership, formed ten years ago, co-ordinates the promotion of Hertfordshire’s tourism offer, and includes attractions and accommodation providers of all sizes.

“Receiving this award is a particular honour as it is one of the few British Travel Awards that is judged by the British Travel Academy and presented on stage at the ceremony by Para Olympian and World Champion, Bethany Woodward.

Derrick Ashley, Chairman of the Hertfordshire is Ready for Winners Partnership, said: “We are very excited that Hertfordshire, a host county for the 2012 Olympics Games, has been honoured with this award.

“Having the Lee Valley White Water Centre in our county means we are already attracting more visitors to the county. The Enjoy! Chequebook is a great way of encouraging visitors to make the most of our beautiful county while they are here and to enjoy the many outstanding tourist attractions and hotels we have to offer.”

left to right on the image: Eric-Enno Snel (General Manager Novotel Stevenage & Vice Chairman of HHA), Annie Hawkins (Hertfordshire County Tourism Officer & Olympic Lead) and Jon Kett-Reynolds (General Manager Quality Hotel St Albans & Chairman of HHA)

Enjoy! Hertfordshire is supported by Hertfordshire County Council and Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is also a supporting partner. The business-led partnership is responsible for boosting the local economy and promoting its key sectors, such as tourism.

To find out more about things to see and do in Hertfordshire, visit: www.enjoyhertfordshire.com

Jon Kett-Reynolds, Chairman of the Hertfordshire Hoteliers Association (HHA) commented

"This is a fabulous achievement for Enjoy! Hertfordshire and provides recognition for the consistent efforts of the Hertfordshire Tourism & Leisure Partnership. The HHA has been an active member within the partnership since the Association first formed and we are delighted to be part of this winning team. Never before in my career have I seen such a close working relationship across all contributing facets of the Tourism Industry; where else will you find representatives from Hotels, top Attractions, Education Providers, Marketing Experts and Local Government all sitting round the same table working towards goals for the greater good of Tourism in the County?"