The Beautiful South Tourism Awards have announced an exciting new category, sponsored by NFU Mutual New Forest, Isle of Wight & Bournemouth, to recognise businesses that are recruiting and developing the hospitality stars of the future.

With a broader focus than apprenticeships only, the new award category aims to celebrate all initiatives attracting and retaining talent in the hospitality sector. That could include training programmes, career pathways or a focus on experience-building, whether aimed at those just starting out in their career or those looking to retrain.

The award is FREE TO ENTER and now open for entries and will close on 25 March 2022.  Entry forms can be downloaded here.  Tourism and hospitality businesses are invited to apply, and third-party nominations are also welcomed. 

Please return completed entry forms by email to awards@beautifulsouthawards.co.uk by 5pm on 25 March 2022.

Eligibility criteria

Businesses can nominate themselves or may be nominated by a third party but they should be directly involved in tourism, making a contribution to the visitor economy with a significant proportion of business generated by people visiting from outside the local area.

They should meet the tourism product definition:

Only tourism businesses who directly serve the end-users are eligible (i.e. the tourist/ visitor/ guest). Business to business agencies or intermediaries e.g. that manage business to consumer (B2C) presence for tourism businesses; would not be eligible

 ‘Tourism product’ covers a number of different categories including:

• Accommodation e.g. hotels, bed & breakfasts, guest houses, self-catering/serviced apartments, hostels, holiday boats, camping, caravanning, glamping, lodges, shepherds huts, chalets

• Hospitality i.e. a single food and beverage service business e.g. pub, restaurant, café, tea room, coffee shop, bistros, food and drink markets, kiosks & street food (in a regular location). [For these purposes the definition of a food and drink market is a collection of independent food and drink establishments with ancillary services (e.g. parking area, toilets, security, visitor information) and maintained by a management firm as an entity.]

• Transport services e.g. rail, road, water, airports and rental

• Guided tours

• Cultural services, e.g. theatres, musical entertainment venues, sporting venues

• Travel agencies and other reservation services, including tour operators and destination management companies

• Sporting, adventure and recreational activities

• Visitor attractions that meet the visitor attraction definition: a permanently established excursion destination, a primary purpose of which is to allow access for entertainment, interest, or education and can include places of worship; rather than being primarily a retail outlet or a venue for sporting, theatrical, or film performances. It must be open to the public, with or without prior booking, for published periods each year, and should be capable of attracting day visitors or tourists as well as local residents

• Businesses of all sizes can apply as this category is judged within the context and style of the business