Tourism businesses across Cornwall are being recognised for their resilience and efforts over the past 12 months.
In a particularly challenging year for tourism, 113 entries were still received into this year's Cornwall Tourism Awards, with 77 finalists now chosen for the awards ceremony on February 25, when they will hear if the have won gold, silver or bronze.
Among them are businesses in Falmouth, the Helston and Lizard area, West Cornwall and in east and mid Cornwall.
They include, in the Falmouth area: Cornwall Plus, Falmouth for international tourism award; Budock Vean Hotel, Mawnan Smith for large hotel of the year; National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth for large visitor attraction of the year; Via Ferrata Cornwall, Penryn for new tourism business of the year; The Boathouse, Falmouth and The Pandora Inn, Mylor for pub of the year; Bango Kitchen, Penryn and The Idle Rocks Restaurant, St Mawes for restaurant and casual dining of the year; St Michaels Resort, Falmouth for spa and wellbeing experience of the year; Falmouth Oyster Festival 2019 for tourism event/festival of the year; and Fal River Visitor Information Centre for visitor information service of the year.
In the Helston and the Lizard area the nominations are: Cornish Seal Sanctuary, Gweek for dog friendly business of the year and wildlife friendly tourism business award; Wych Elm Glamping, Coverack for glamping business of the year; and Mullion Cove Hotel & Spa for small hotel of the year, and also spa and wellbeing experience of the year,
And while Polurrian on the Lizard, Mullion won't get an award in large hotel of the year category it has been highly commended.
In the Truro, Camborne and West Cornwall areas, award finalists include: Landal Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath for accessible and inclusive tourism and spa and wellbeing experience; Sarah's Cottage, Truro is also up accessible and inclusive tourism and self catering accommodation of the year, along with My Cottages, St Ives; Camp Kernow, Truro for ethical, responsible and sustainable tourism; Paradise Park – Red Panda Experience, Hayle for experience of the year (active or learning), with the Park and JungleBarn Indoor Play Centre also up for large visitor attraction of the year; Feadon Wildlife Centre, Portreath for small visitor attraction, with the centre's Gary Zammit in the running for unsung hero award.
Deborah Heather, of headline sponsors Quality in Tourism, said: “Despite experiencing one of the worst crises in living memory, the Cornwall tourism and hospitality industry continues to show resilience and shines with some truly inspirational entries to this year's awards.
"All of us at Quality in Tourism are honoured and humbled to be headline sponsor of the Cornwall Awards; quite honestly, we salute you all.”
Awards organiser Robin Barker of Services for Tourism, added: “The past ten months have been a challenge for everyone – to survive let alone prosper.
"Having considered abandoning the awards I’m so glad we persevered, adapting and changing along the way to reflect the ever-changing situation.
"The delight we’re witnessing amongst finalists on being told of their success makes it all so worthwhile."
Full list of finalists:
ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD
Finalists
• Harrods Cornish Cottages, Penhallow
• Landal Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath
• Sara’s Cottage, Truro
B&B AND GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Old Embassy House, Fowey
• Trewornan Manor, Wadebridge
• Wingletang Guest House, Isles of Scilly
BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR
Shortlisted
• Ben Harper - Watergate Bay Hotel
• Jack Ashby-Wright, Talland Bay Hotel
• Martin Barlow, Budock Vean Hotel
• Scott Fisher - Karma St Martins
CAFÉ/TEAROOM OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Teacup Tearoom
• The Thirstea Co, Portscatho
DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Gwelmor Holiday Home, Bude
• Hut and Hound, St Austell
• Kernock Cottages, Saltash
• Teacup Tearoom, Mevagissey
• The Cornish Seal Sanctuary, Gweek
ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD
Finalists
• Camp Kernow, Truro
• Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park, Padstow
• The Sanctuary Cornwall, Golant
EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR (ACTIVE OR LEARNING),
Finalists
• Bare Feet Coasteer, Newquay
• Paddle Cornwall SUP, Fowey
• Paradise Park – Red Panda Experience, Hayle
GLAMPING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Ekopod, Launceston
• Wych Elm Glamping
HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Landal Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath
• Martha’s Orchard, Constantine Bay
Commended
• Bude Holiday Resort, Bude
• Retallack Resort & Spa, St Column Major
• Trelawne Manor Holiday Park, Looe
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AWARD,
Finalists
• Cornwall Plus, Falmouth
• Travel England Tours Ltd
LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Budock Vean Hotel, Mawnan Smith
• Carlyon Bay Hotel, St Austell
• Fowey Hall Hotel, Fowey
Commended
• Polurrian on the Lizard, Mullion
LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR
• Camel Creek Adventure Park, Wadebridge
• National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth
• Paradise Park and JungleBarn Indoor Play Centre, Hayle
• Tintagel Castle (English Heritage), Tintagel
NEW TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD
Finalists
• Cove24 Restaurant and Bar, Newquay
• Scilly Spirit Distillery, Isles of Scilly
• Via Ferrata Cornwall, Penryn
Commended
• Paddle Cornwall SUP, Fowey
• St Martin’s Watersports, Isles of Scilly
• The Residence at Bolenna, Perranporth
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO CORNISH TOURISM
• To be announced on awards day
PUB OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• The Boathouse, Falmouth
• The Gurnard’s Head, Zennor
• The Pandora Inn, Mylor
Commended
• The Old Inn and Restaurant, St Breward
RESTAURANT & CASUAL DINING OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Bango Kitchen, Penryn
• Cove24 Restaurant and Bar, Newquay
• The Idle Rocks Restaurant, St Mawes
SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Cosawes Barton, Truro
• My Cottages in St Ives, St Ives
• Sara’s Cottage, Truro
Commended
• Pencuke Farm Holiday Cottages and Camping, Bude
• Retallack Resort & Spa, Padstow
SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Mullion Cove Hotel & Spa, Mullion
• The Idle Rocks, St Mawes
• The PIG at Harlyn Bay, Padstow
Commended
• The Old Coastguard, Mousehole
SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Feadon Wildlife Centre, Portreath
• Shipwreck Treasure Museum, Charlestown
SPA & WELLBEING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Landal Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath
• Mullion Cove Spa, Mullion
• St Michaels Resort, Falmouth
TOURING CAMPING AND CARAVANNING PARK OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Mena Farm: Touring, Camping, Glamping, Bodmin
• Polmanter Touring Park, St Ives
• Treloy Touring Park, Newquay
TOURISM EVENT/FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Falmouth Oyster Festival 2019
• Wavelength Media’s Drive in Cinema Series 2020
TOURISM INNOVATION AWARD
Finalists
• St Moritz Hotel, Polzeath
• Treseren, Newquay
UNSUNG HERO AWARD
• Gary Zammit, Feadon Wildlife Centre, Portreath
• Kim Spencer, Wringworthy Cottages, Looe
• Patrick Trembath, PK Porthcurno
• Robert Hawkins, Martha’s Orchard, Constantine Bay
• Sally Pickles, The Bowgie Inn, Newquay
VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE YEAR
Finalists
• Bodmin Information Centre
• Fal River Visitor Information Centre
• Visit Newquay Tourist Information Centre
WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR,
Finalists
• Landal Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath
• Treseren, Newquay
WILDLIFE FRIENDLY TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD
Finalists
• Ekopod, Launceston
• Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park, Padstow
• The Cornish Seal Sanctuary, Gweek
Commended
• Landal Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath
• PK Porthcurno – Museum of Global Communications, Porthcurno
• St Ives Holiday Village, St Ives
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