Peak District & Derbyshire finalists shortlisted for national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence

Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby is delighted to announce that four outstanding local businesses and individuals have been named as finalists at the renowned VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2026.

The prestigious awards have been championing the very best in England’s tourism industry for more than 35 years, celebrating quality, innovation, best practice and exceptional customer service.

Finalists represent the highest standards across accessibility, accommodation, attractions, experiences, food and drink, and business events, showcasing the strength and diversity of English tourism.

Representing the Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby on the national stage, the finalists are competing for Gold, Silver or Bronze in their respective categories:

• Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award – Hoe Grange Holidays
• Pub of the Year – The Tickled Trout, Barlow
• Small Hotel of the Year – Peak Edge Hotel
• Unsung Hero Award – Viv Smith, National Stone Centre

All four finalists secured their place in the national awards after winning Gold at the Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards in March.

This year's awards formed part of a glittering joint East Midlands Tourism Awards Ceremony with Visit Nottinghamshire, held at Pride Park Stadium in Derby – a landmark celebration that brought together the very best of the region's visitor economy under one roof.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, said:

“We are delighted to see four of our Gold winners shortlisted for the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. The Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Tourism Awards are a vital platform to recognise and celebrate the passion, innovation and commitment that underpin our outstanding visitor economy, worth £3.58bn to the local economy. Success at a local level provides the gateway to national recognition, and we are proud to support businesses on that journey.

“These awards are not only a celebration of strength, quality and diversity of our tourism offer, but a powerful showcase of the exceptional businesses, people and experiences that make our destination so distinctive. We wish all our finalists the very best as they go on to represent our area on the national stage.”

Winners of the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2026 will be announced at a ceremony taking place at Aerospace Bristol in Bristol on 3 June.

Tourism remains one of England’s largest and most valuable industries, supporting hundreds of thousands of SMEs, more than two million jobs, and contributing £127 billion to the national economy.

For more information on the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2026 please visit: https://www.visitbritain.org/news-and-media/industry-news-and-press-releases

For the full list of winners from the Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby Awards please visit: https://visitpeakdistrict.com/industry/events/category/tourism-awards

For press enquiries, please contact Amy Noton at 07387 141590 or amy.noton@visitpeakdistrict.com. 

Notes

About Visit Peak District & Derbyshire
Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s mission is to develop and grow a successful and sustainable tourism economy, working closely with a wide range of partners to make the Peak District and Derbyshire the destination of choice – regionally, nationally and globally.
Visit Peak District & Derbyshire is the lead partner of the Visit Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP), in collaboration with Visit Derby.
For more information visit www.visitpeakdistrict.com/industry
Inspiration on things to do and where to stay in the Peak District and Derbyshire is available at www.visitpeakdistrict.com

About Visit Derby
Visit Derby‘s mission is to develop and improve as a sustainable, competitive visitor destination based on a growing reputation for providing a quality experience across all aspects of the visitor journey.
For the latest industry information see www.visitderby.co.uk/derby-tourism-industry
For inspiration about what to see and do in Derby and where to stay see www.visitderby.co.uk