VisitEngland has today (18 January) revealed the 10 superstars to make the shortlist of its annual search to find the unsung heroes of England’s tourism industry – and the Isle of Wight is among them!

Visit Isle of Wight nominated Isle of Wight Ramblers Association members David Howarth, David Yates and Linda Jones on behalf of all the volunteer walk leaders for their work in promoting and helping to co-ordinate the Isle of Wight Walking Festival.

The Ramblers have now made the shortlist of 10 who have demonstrated they provide unforgettable visitor experiences, as well as showcasing the variety and quality of England’s tourism offer and destinations. 

Celebrating it’s 25^th anniversary in 2024, the Isle of Wight Walking Festival has seen tens of thousands of people visit the Island and take part in the walks, the majority of which are free and put on by dedicated and passionate volunteers.

In 2023 alone, the Isle of Wight Walking Festival was estimated to have brought an additional £500 000 to the Island’s economy, outside of the traditional peak summer season.

David Howarth, publicity officer at the Isle of Wight Ramblers Association, and nominee, says:

‘We’re absolutely delighted to be nominated for this award, the recognition for the hard work of the members of the Ramblers Association over many years, and it is particularly rewarding to be nominated in this, the 25th anniversary of the Isle of Wight Walking Festival!’

David continues:

‘The Ramblers Association on the Island are committed to improving accessibility, for example through the donate-a-gate scheme where we have replaced 270 stiles with gates by public subscription to give more people access to the countryside, and it has seen an increase in those able to enjoy the Island’s beautiful countryside and participate in the Walking Festival.’

Will Myles, Managing Director of Visit Isle of Wight says:

‘It is amazing that The Isle of Wight Ramblers, David, David and Linda on behalf of all of the volunteer walk leaders of the award-winning Isle of Wight Walking Festival have been shortlisted in the final 10 for the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar 2024 award. It continues to show that tourism and the visitor economy is at the heart of this Island’s economy. The people of the Island are such amazing ambassadors for our visitor economy.’

Now, The Isle of Wight Ramblers Association could follow in the footsteps of previous VisitEngland Tourism Superstar winners Jim O’Reilly from Red Funnel and Lorry Middleton from Hovertravel.

Will adds:

‘We have a recent history of winning the Tourism Superstar award on the Island and this could be the 3rd win in the past 6 years, if all goes well. When the voting is opened in February, I would urge all Islanders, family and friends to vote for the Isle of Wight Ramblers and bring this award home yet again for the Isle of Wight.’

The 10 finalists were selected out of dozens of submissions from employers and destinations across England covering all areas of tourism. The finalists now go on to compete for the title of Tourism Superstar, decided by a public vote this year run on VisitEngland’s website.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:

‘We have the most wonderful people working in our industry and Tourism Superstar is about recognising those individuals who go the extra mile to make visitor experiences truly special. Whether discovering a city from its waterways, exploring a destination led by volunteers, running a cycle hire non-profit or showcasing culinary delights with food tours, these individuals truly go above and beyond in their roles as tourism ambassadors. 

‘I congratulate the 10 finalists and wish them every success in the competition, though of course they are all superstars already. I also encourage everyone to get involved and cast their votes once the competition opens.’

The public will be able to vote for their favourite superstar on VisitEngland’s website from mid-February when the competition officially opens. Voting closes at the end of English Tourism Week (ETW). ETW takes place from 15-24 March 2024.

The superstar with the highest number of votes is crowned winner at the end of the competition. The Tourism Superstar award is handed out in spring at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence event. 

For more information on VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2024 finalists got to: https://www.visitbritain.org/working-us/visitenglands-tourism-superstar-award