The area’s largest celebration of tourism and hospitality, the 2027 Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards competition, is now open for entries.
Now in their thirteenth year, the awards, previously known as the Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism & Good Food Awards, recognise and celebrate the outstanding people and businesses which make up the area’s £2.7bn tourism sector.
The competition sees attractions, venues, accommodation businesses, restaurants, pubs and cafes go head-to-head in 21 categories.
The initiative is organised by the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP), the region’s accredited tourist board, in partnership with VisitEngland.
Arthur Barnard, LVEP Chair, said:
“We’re all excited to be launching our 2027 awards competition which gets bigger and better every year.
“Last year saw the highest number of new entries to our competition which is great, engaging even more of the businesses in our fantastic county. The competition also provides an opportunity for Staffordshire businesses to recognise the hard work of their teams, and the only way for them to qualify for the national awards.”
Martin Murray, Leader at Staffordshire County Council, said:
"Staffordshire is the beating heart of the country, a place where our rich heritage, beautiful landscapes, amazing hospitality and world-class attractions come together to create unforgettable experiences.
“Our tourism and hospitality businesses play a vital role in showcasing everything that makes Staffordshire special, while supporting jobs and our local economy. These awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the people and businesses whose passion and innovation help make our county such a fantastic destination. That’s why Staffordshire is England’s Playground.”
Jane Ashworth, Leader at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said:
"We've got so many amazing tourism businesses in Stoke-on-Trent and their brilliant work should be acknowledged and celebrated.
"So much of our heritage, industry and culture continues to be in the spotlight, really showing off the very best our city has to offer. I encourage all local businesses to enter the awards and show what a wonderful part of the world this is."
The awards are free to enter, and any tourism or hospitality business located in Staffordshire, including Stoke-on-Trent, can apply.
Details of categories, registration for the webinars and workshops and how to apply are available on the Visit Staffordshire awards’ webpage. Applications must be submitted online before Monday 6 September 2026.
