Roger Elsmere, the founder and managing director of Bognor Regis-based Woods Travel, has received industry recognition for his outstanding contribution to coach tourism.
Roger was presented with the Coach Monthly Special Award at this year’s National Coach Tourism Awards (NCTA).
Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset won the award for Coach Friendly Destination of the Year, recognition of the work put in by the Project Coach team of Ian Jefferies and Les Barber. Burnham has been a finalist for the last three years; this time, success was theirs.
Blackburn Market won Coach Friendly Shopping Destination of the Year at the first go, testament to the enthusiasm of the market team.
The Ullswater ‘Steamers’ were celebrating having picked up the award for River and Inland Cruise Operator of the Year, some welcome good news after a winter that saw the floods in the Lake District severely disrupt the company’s operations.
The NCTA, now in its 11th year, and organised by Diversified Communications and Coach Monthly magazine, is the only national awards scheme to specifically focus on coach tourism, recognising excellence and development among coach tour operators, destinations, visitor attractions, tourism suppliers, hotels and other tourism organisations.
The event, held on Wednesday 16 March, and hosted by television personality Anthea Turner, took place at the Vox, Resorts World Birmingham, at the NEC.
For more information about the NCTA, go to www.ncta.co.uk
Here’s the list of this year’s winners:
Coach Friendly Destination of the Year
Sponsored by My Day Out
Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
Coach Friendly Visitor Attraction of the Year
Jointly sponsored by Planet Hollywood and Hospitality Line
Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
Coach Friendly Shopping Destination of the Year
Sponsored by the British Tourism & Travel Show
Blackburn Market, Lancashire
Cross-Sea Carrier of the Year
Sponsored by Edwards Coach Holidays
CalMac Ferries
River and Inland Cruise Operator of the Year
Sponsored by the Coach Tourism Council (CTC)
Ullswater ‘Steamers’, Cumbria
Heritage Railway of the Year
Sponsored by DFDS
Vale of Rheidol Railway, Ceredigion
Accommodation Provider of the Year: Hotel Groups
Sponsored by Fieldfisher
Hallmark Hotels
Accommodation Provider of the Year: Individual Hotels
Sponsored by VisitScotland
Rendezvous Hotel, Skipton, North Yorkshire
Ticket Supplier of the Year
Sponsored by West Midland Safari & Leisure Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire
Encore Tickets
Tour Wholesaler of the Year
Sponsored by P&O Ferries
Greatdays Travel Group
Holiday Programme of the Year
Sponsored by Independent Coach Travel (ICT)
Shaws Coaches, Maxey, Cambridgeshire
Day Excursion Programme of the Year
Sponsored by Warner Leisure Hotels
Johnsons Coach Travel, Warwickshire
Coach Tour Operator Brochure of the Year
Sponsored by Towergate Chapman Stevens
Silver Star Holidays, Gwynedd
Coach Tourism Innovation of the Year
Sponsored by Eurotunnel Le Shuttle
Johnsons Coach Travel, Warwickshire – for ‘Bard on Board’
Coach Tourism Professional of the Year
Sponsored by Group Line
Alan Payling, owner of Coach Drivers Information Pack, Torbay, Devon
Coach Tour Driver of the Year
Sponsored by Cornmarket Insurance Services
Alyn Frankel, tours director at Moving People, Lancashire
Coach Tour Operator of the Year: Small Fleet (1 to 5 coaches)
Sponsored by Norman Allen Group Travel
Fenn Holidays, March, Cambridgeshire
Coach Tour Operator of the Year: Medium Fleet (6 to 15 coaches)
Sponsored by Roadchef
Parrys International Tours, Cheslyn Hey, West Midlands
Coach Tour Operator: Large Fleets (more than 15 coaches)
Sponsored by Wrightsure Insurance Services
Maynes Coaches (Moray and Orkney)
Coach Monthly Special Award
Sponsored by Hilton Worldwide
Roger Elsmere, managing director of Woods Travel, West Sussex
