Best Leicestershire tourist attractions revealed

The best hotels, campsites, restaurants, cafes, pubs, festivals and visitor attractions in Leicestershire have been honoured.

The winners of the 2019 Leicestershire Tourism and Hospitality Awards included national attractions such as Twycross Zoo, The National Forest and .

Meanwhile, the National Space Centre and the 400-capacity Nevill Holt Opera – which was recently up for a Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize – have been highly commended.

Leicester City Council recently suggested that tourism had contributed more than in the last year.

It said growth rates for the area were higher than the national average, meaning that figure could top £2 billion by 2025.

The annual Battle of Bosworth re-enactment (Leicester Mercury)

In all there were 29 categories in the regional heat of the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which took place at Leicester’s Athena venue, and which were organised by Leicestershire Promotions.

The National Forest – which covers much of north and west Leicestershire, as well as part of Derbyshire and Staffs – was recognised as this year’s tourism superstar for the effect that it has had in regenerating large swathes of scarred and damaged countryside into a new tourism destination.

The awards were sponsored by Leicestershire’s Everards brewery, Fosse 107 radio, Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, tourism digital agency New Vision Group and marketing business Pear Communications.

Martin Peters, chief executive of Leicestershire Promotions, said: “The Leicestershire tourism and hospitality sectors are working through very challenging times and more effort is needed than ever before to win the hard-earned pound from our customers.

“Visitors are demanding better and better value for money, and the key to delivering this is quality.

“These awards are testament to the quality of our local tourism and hospitality businesses, and prove just how hard all of the winners, finalists, entrants and other organisations are working to raise their standards for customers, guests and visitors.

“We congratulate them all on their well-deserved successes.”