The BGTW International Tourism Awards (ITA) scheme recognises excellence in tourism projects.
If you’ve seen a project that’s no more than three years old (for eligibility this must be within the past three years; ie after September 1st, 2021) that you feel deserves wider recognition and the valuable publicity that receiving a prestigious ITA generates, then let us have your submission.
It’s amazing what an impact these awards have with the general public and how proud the many and varied tourism project teams are to receive them. With a Winner, two Highly Commended and Merit awards on offer for each of the categories (UK and Ireland, Europe, Wider World and – new for 2024 – the Better World Project), there are certificates being proudly displayed at locations all around the world.
So, have you seen something on your travels that deserves recognition? To nominate a project, you should have visited the project at, or after the time of it opening or starting. If your visit was prior to opening, as a hard-hat tour for example, you should nominate next year.
What projects are eligible?
- The project you submit has to have opened (or started) AFTER 1st September 2021.
- Apart from its obvious appeal to tourists, the project needs to take into account:
- social impact
- local job creation
- environmental impact
- funding
- accessibility
- For the Better World Award nominees, the project should have been specifically founded to improve the lives of local communities, the environment, or the sustainability of tourism in the destination. Think: preserving endangered languages, Indigenous art, or in-danger and underrepresented cultural experiences; ambitious animal conservation work; or projects that are rooted in environmental, re-wilding, or sustainability. Essentially, a project where sustainability (in any of these forms) is the purpose and goal rather than an additional or secondary aspect. Please consider greenwashing and ensure there are demonstrable benefits from the project.
- Tourism projects can be stand-alone, or part of an existing visitor attraction, destination or other project.
- The project cannot be nominated twice so cannot be nominated this year if it has been nominated previously. (View the nominations for the past 3 years here.) If the nomination is for an addition to a project that is already open, or that has already started, the nomination must be in the name of the addition (and not the original project).
- The project cannot be nominated in the same year by more than one member. Where this happens, the nominating member will be the one whose nomination form was received first.
- The closing date for submissions is 25th August 2024.
Which members can nominate?
- All BGTW members (full, associate, honorary or lifetime) can nominate a project.
- They must be fully paid-up at the closing date for nominations (Friday 26th July 2024).
- Members whose nominated project is shortlisted as a finalist should also be fully paid-up on 4 November 2024, the date of the Annual Gala Awards Dinner. The member is expected to act as host to their project’s representative at the dinner.
What are the awards categories?
There are four:
- Best UK and Ireland Tourism Project
- Best Europe Tourism Project (includes Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Ukraine)
- Best Wider World Tourism Project
- Better World Project – for Sustainability, Conservation and Cultural Preservation
In each category there will be a winner and two ‘Highly Commended awards’. A Merit award will also be given to all entries that are shortlisted.
How to enter
You can enter as many different projects as you wish. For each project you must complete a separate entry form (see below). The entry form asks for the following information:
- Your email and phone number
- Entry category
- Correct and full official title/name of project
- Project address and website
- Date of opening
- The project’s press/PR contact, job title and email contact
- The project’s social media details (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram)
- Two images of the project that the Guild can use freely for promotional purposes
- Finally, and most importantly, a maximum of 200 words explaining why you feel the project is special and why it should win.
What happens then?
When a nomination is received the organisers check that projects are valid and that the nomination forms have been correctly completed. These nominations will then form a long list of projects which is then circulated to members. A membership-wide vote, via a simple online voting form, decides the winner in each category. The two runners-up receive Highly Commended awards.
If your project is selected to be one of the three finalists in any category, you will be given a complimentary ticket for the BGTW Annual Gala Awards Dinner that takes place on Monday 4th November. That will give you the opportunity to host the representative you have invited from your project – and bask in the reflected glory!
Timetable
- Submission deadline 25 August
- Voting opens 6 september
- Voting closes 26 september, votes tallied
- Shortlist announced 1st October
- Winners announced 4 November
Voting tips
The ITA is a unique awards scheme. There’s nothing else quite like it, so it is important to vote. When voting it is worth taking the following points into account:
- Does it appeal to an international audience?
- Will it last? Is it more than a project celebrating an anniversary?
- Is it a ‘Responsible Tourism’ or ‘Sustainable Tourism’ project that benefits the community, environment etc? This is especially true for the Better World award.
More information
If you have any questions about entering a tourism project for the International Tourism Awards, please contact Charlotte, the Guild Administrator on 020 8144 8713 or email [email protected]