Shining lights of north east tourism revealed
The winners of the 2006 Northern Lights Tourism Awards have been announced at a special awards ceremony in Aberdeen.
Presented this year by STV’s business correspondent Cheryl Paul at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, the Northern Lights Tourism Awards were established in 2003 to recognise and celebrate excellence in tourism throughout Moray, Aberdeen City and Shire, and have helped put the spotlight on the high quality tourism products and initiatives on offer in the area.
Award categories:
• Visitor Experience: Crathes Castle received this Kemnay granite trophy representing the north east of Scotland, sponsored by VisitScotland Aberdeen and Grampian. This non-nominated award looks to recognise those that go above and beyond to provide a first-class quality visitor experience. Aberdeen City Open Top Bus Tours, Crathie Opportunity Holidays, Glenfiddich Distillery’s “Artists in Residence”, Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, Fraserburgh, and the Speyside Way Visitor Centre and Ranger Service were all awarded Highly Commended certificates.
• Come to Aberdeen Trophy (CAT Award): The Gordon Highlanders Museum won this year’s Kelly’s Cat trophy. Sponsored by Aberdeen City Council, this award is for the tourism initiative which has most contributed to increasing the value of tourism in the City of Aberdeen. Aberdeen iKiosks, Aberdeen Maritime Museum and Pam Wells Ltd each received Highly Commended certificates.
• Aberdeenshire Tourism Initiative: The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Portsoy, scooped the specially-commissioned stained glass trophy, while the Banffshire Coast Tourism Partnership, Grampian Games Association and the Turriff District Agricultural Association’s Turriff Show were all presented with Highly Commended certificates. Sponsored by Aberdeenshire Council, this award looks to recognise work a passion for tourism in the Aberdeenshire area.
• Moray Tourism Initiative: Logie Steading Visitor Centre emerged the winner in this category. Sponsored by The Moray Council, this award is for those who have actively contributed to attracting visitors to the area, the development of the area’s tourism industry or to improving the visitor’s experience. Cullen Voluntary Tourist Initiative, Dufftown 2000 Ltd and Tea in the Park 2006 were awarded Highly Commended certificates.
• Innovation: United in Service’s Magical Mystery Bus Tours emerged the winner in this hotly-contested category, sponsored by Scottish Enterprise Grampian. The Aberdeen Convention Bureau’s Extended Breaks programme, Aberdeen iKiosks and Carney Heritage Productions Ltd were each awarded Highly Commended certificates.
• Customer Service: The Gordon Highlanders Museum won their second award of the day for Customer Service, with Aberdeenshire Council Caravan Parks, Huntly Peregrine Wild Watch and Stonehaven Open Air Pool all receiving Highly Commended certificates.
• Tourism and Sustainability: A brand new category for 2006 to recognise the increasing importance sustainability has to play in the tourism industry, the Crown Estate’s Glenlivet Estate was awarded with a Waterford Crystal Carafe from sponsors BAA Aberdeen Airport. Both Fraserburgh Heritage Society and Greenbrae Farmhouse B&B, near Peterhead, received Highly Commended certificates.
• Food and Drink Award: Highly Commended last year, The Green Inn at Ballater triumphed in this award, sponsored for the second year by EatScotland. The Foyer Restaurant and Gallery, the Marcliffe at Pitfodels and The Square, all in Aberdeen, and Andersons of Inverurie each collected Highly Commended certificates.
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