The shortlist for this year’s Cornwall Tourism Awards has been revealed.
The annual competition saw an increase to 26 categories this year, with a new Guided Tour category and other changes to reflect the ever-changing nature of tourism.
180 entries were received from across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, with 75 selected as finalists who will be in suspense until the awards ceremony at the Headland Hotel in Newquay on November 2.
Successful businesses in the Cornwall Awards will be fast tracked into the South West Tourism Excellence Awards in February 2018 and possibly invited to represent Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the 2018 National VisitEngland Awards, in which Cornwall has often been the best performing county.
Awards organiser, Robin Barker of Services for Tourism, said: “The response from finalists when we tell them of their selection says it all, with ‘wow,wow, wow’ being the first three words from the first respondent.
“Being recognised in these awards means so much to businesses, recognising their dedication, imagination and the kind of ceaseless investment that 21st century tourism requires.”
2017/18 FINALISTS & HIGHLY COMMENDED (in alphabetic order)
ACCESS & INCLUSIVITY AWARD
Finalists
- Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park, Padstow, motheriveysbay.com, @motheriveysbay
- Mylor Sailing School, Falmouth, mylorsailingschool.co.uk, @mylorsailing
- Screech Owl Sanctuary, St Columb, screechowlsanctuary.co.uk, @ScreechOwlSanct
Highly Commended
- Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, Pentewan, pentewan.co.uk, @PentewanSands
ACTIVE & SPORTING EXPERIENCE
Finalists
- Newquay Activity Centre, Newquay, newquayactivitycentre.co.uk, @NewquayActivity
- Scilly Seal Snorkelling, Isles of Scilly, scillysealsnorkelling.com, @sealsnorkelling
- The Outdoor Offer at Lanhydrock, National Trust, Bodmin, nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock, @LanhydrockNT
Highly Commended
- Mylor Sailing School, Falmouth, mylorsailingschool.co.uk, @mylorsailing
- Retallack Resort and Spa, St Columb, retallackresort.co.uk, @Retallackresort
- Ticket To Ride Surf School, Perranporth, tickettoridesurfschool.co.uk, @ttrsurfschools
ARTISTIC, CULTURAL & LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Finalists
- National Maritime Museum Cornwall – Tattoo Exhibition, Falmouth, nmmc.co.uk, @thenmmc
- Penlee House Gallery & Museum – Stanhope Forbes Exhibition, Penzance, penleehouse.org.uk, @PenleeHouse
- Rick Stein’s Cookery School, Padstow, rickstein.com/school, @RickSteinSchool
Highly Commended
- Miracle Theatre, Redruth, miracletheatre.co.uk, @MiracleTheatre
BED AND BREAKFAST OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Lower Barns Boutique B&B, St Ewe, lowerbarns.co.uk, @lowerbarns
- Wadebridge Bed and Breakfast, Wadebridge, wadebridgebedandbreakfast.net, @wadebridgeBandB
Highly Commended
- The Old Rectory, Boscastle, stjuliot.com, @StJuliotBandB
- The Wheelhouse Guest House, Isles of Scilly, thewheelhousescilly.co.uk, @Wheelhouse_IoS
CAFÉ/TEAROOM OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Boscastle Farm Shop & Cafe, Boscastle, boscastlefarmshop.co.uk, @BFS20k7
- Talland Bay Beach Cafe, Looe, tallandbaybeachcafe.co.uk,
- The Cornish Pantry at Cornwall Gold, Redruth, cornwall-gold.com, @Cornwall_Gold
- The Thirstea Co, Portscatho, thethirsteacompany.co.uk, @thethirsteaco
CAMPING AND CARAVANNING PARK OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Dolbeare Park, Saltash, dolbeare.co.uk, @dolbearepark
- Polmanter Touring Park, St Ives, polmanter.co.uk, @PolmanterStIves
- Trevalgan Touring Park, St Ives, trevalgantouringpark.co.uk,
DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Karma St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly, karmastmartins.com, @KarmaResorts
- Mullion Cove Hotel, Mullion, mullion-cove.co.uk, @mullioncove
- Old Lanwarnick Cottages, Liskeard, oldlanwarnick.co.uk, @listedluxury
Highly Commended
- Talland Bay Hotel Ltd, Looe, tallandbayhotel.com, @TallandBayHotel
GLAMPING & ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
Finalists
- Boswarthen Farm, Penzance, boswarthenfarm.co.uk, @boswarthenfarm
- East Throne Yurts and Cottages Ltd, Bude, east-thornecornwall.co.uk, @eastthorne
- Safari Cornwall, Bodmin, safaricornwall.com, @SafariCornwall
GUIDED TOUR
Finalists
- Adventure Segway, Torpoint, adventureseway.com, @adventuresegway
- Encounter Cornwall, Fowey, encountercornwall.com, @kayakcornwall
- Koru Kayaking, St Agnes, korukayaking.co.uk, @HettyKoru
Highly Commended
- Bude Canoe Experience, Holsworthy, budecanoeexperience.co.uk, @budecanoe
- iWalk Cornwall, Tintagel, iwalkcornwall.co.uk, @iwalkc
- Select South West Tours, Cornwall, selectsouthwesttours.com, @selectSWtours
HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath, gwelanmor.com, @GwelanMorResort
- Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, Pentewan, pentewan.co.uk, @PentewanSands
- The Park, Mawgan Porth, theparkcornwall.com, @theparkcornwall
INTERNATIONAL VISITOR EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Cornwall Plus – Glasney Rooms & Flats, Penryn, cornwall-plus.co.uk/groups, @cornwall_plus
- Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, Pentewan, pentewan.co.uk, @PentewanSands
- Select South West Tours, Cornwall, selectsouthwesttours.com, @selectSWtours
LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Carbis Bay Hotel, Spa and Estate, St Ives, carbisbayhotel.co.uk, @CarbisBay_Hotel
- The Alverton Hotel, Truro, thealverton.co.uk, @AlvertonHotel
- The Headland Hotel & Spa, Newquay, headlandhotel.co.uk, @headlandhotel
LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Camel Creek Adventure Park, Wadebridge, camelcreek.co.uk, @CamelCreekPark
- The Minack Theatre, Penzance, minack.com, @minacktheatre
- Tintagel Castle, Tintagel, english-heritage.org.uk/tintagel, @EHTintagel
OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE
- Award will be announced on the night
RESTAURANT/BISTRO OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Amellies, Porthleven, Porthleven, ameliesporthleven.co.uk, @amelies_kernow
- The Fish House, Newquay, thefishhousefistral.com, @harwod_paul
- The Star Castle Restaurant, Isles of Scilly, star-castle.co.uk, @starcastlehotel
SELF CATERING HOLIDAY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Bosinver Farm Cottages, St Austell, bosinver.co.uk, @bosinver
- Mullion Cove Luxury Harbour Apartments, Mullion, mullion-cove.co.uk, @mullioncove
- The Headland Cottages, Newquay, headlandhotel.co.uk, @headlandhotel
Highly Commended
- North Coast Holiday Cottages, Redruth, northcoastholidaycottages.co.uk, @NCHC14
- Tregarthen’s Hotel and Cottages, Isles of Scilly, tregarthenscottages.com, @Tregarthens
SELF CATERING PROPERTY OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Lower Marsh Farm, Saltash, lowermarshfarm.com, @lowermarshfarm
- Old Barn Tregonetha, St Columb, oldbarncornwall.co.uk, @oldbarncornwall
SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Lappa Valley Steam Railway, St Newlyn East, lappavalley.co.uk, @LappaValley
- Screech Owl Sanctuary, St Columb, screechowlsanctuary.co.uk, @ScreechOwlSanct
- St Austell Brewery, St Austell, staustellbreweryvisitorcentre.co.uk, @staustellbrew
SMALL/BOUTIQUE HOTEL OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Hell Bay Hotel, Isles of Scilly, hellbay.co.uk, @HellBayHotel
- Mullion Cove Hotel, Mullion, mullion-cove.co.uk, @mullioncove
- Talland Bay Hotel Ltd, Looe, tallandbayhotel.com, @TallandBayHotel
Highly Commended
- Karma St. Martin’s, Isles of Scilly, karmastmartins.com, @KarmaResorts
- The Port Gaverne Hotel, Port Isaac, portgavernehotel.co.uk, @portgaverne
SPA AND WELLBEING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Bosinver Farm Cottages, St Austell, bosinver.co.uk, @bosinver
- C Bay Spa, St ives, carbisbayhotel.co.uk/html/spa.html, @CarbisBay_Hotel
- The Headland Hotel & Spa, Newquay, headlandhotel.co.uk, @headlandhotel
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD
Finalists
- Old Barn Tregonetha, St Columb, oldbarncornwall.co.uk, @oldbarncornwall
- The Olde House – Farm Cottages, Wadebridge, theoldehouse.co.uk, @theoldehouse
- Wild Futures, The Monkey Sanctuary, Looe, monkeysanctuary.org, @wildfutures
TOURISM EVENT/FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Islands’ Regatta, Isles of Scilly, visitislesofscilly.com, @visitIOS
- Looe Music Festival, Looe, looemusic.co.uk, @looemusicfest
- Porthleven Food & Music Festival, Porthleven, porthlevenfoodfestival.com, @PorthlevenFest
TOURISM PUB OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Pandora Inn, Falmouth, pandorainn.com, @PandoraInn
- The Blue Peter Inn, Polperro, thebluepeterinn.yolasite.com,
- The Gurnard’s Head, St Ives, gurnardshead.co.uk, @gurnardshead
VENUE AND BUSINESS TOURISM AWARD
Finalists
- Carbis Bay Hotel, Spa and Estate, St Ives, carbisbayhotel.co.uk, @CarbisBay_Hotel
- China Fleet Country Club, Saltash, china-fleet.co.uk, @chinafleet
- The Headland Hotel & Spa, Newquay, headlandhotel.co.uk, @headlandhotel
VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE YEAR
Finalists
- Bodmin Information Centre, Bodmin, bodminlive.com, @wendy1978
- Bude Tourist Information Centre, Bude, visitbude.info, @VisitBude
- Visit Truro, Truro, visittruro.org.uk, @VisitTruro
Highly Commended
- Launceston Tourist Information Centre, Launceston, visitlaunceston.co.uk, @LauncestonTIC
WILDLIFE FRIENDLY TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD
Finalists
- Bourne Leisure Perran Sands, Perranporth, haven.com/parks/cornwall/perran-sands, @haven#peransands
- Feadon Farm Wildlife Conservation Centre at Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath, feadonfarmwildlife.co.uk, @GwelanMorResort
- Forest Holidays Deerpark, Liskeard, forestholidays.co.uk, @Forestholidays
Highly Commended
- Lower Marsh Farm, Saltash, lowermarshfarm.com, @lowermarshfarm
- Windsworth, St Martin by Looe, windsworth.org,uk,
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO TOURISM
- Award will be announced on the night
WINNER OF WINNERS
- Award will be announced on the night
