THE Essex Tourism & Hospitality Awards are reflective of the Essex tourism and hospitality industries.
The awards act as a development opportunity in skills training and professionalism, and play an integral role in encouraging and rewarding excellence, innovation and commitment in the industries.
The awards are open to tourism and hospitality businesses and the excellent people who work in them. Please take the time to explore the website to find a category suitable for you. Simply by taking part you could improve your business performance in terms of turnover, profitability, quality, sustainability, staff morale and customer satisfaction.
The climax of the whole Essex Tourism and Hospitality Awards competition is, of course ... the winners award ceremony.
This glittering evening is built entirely around the finalists. By making it to the ceremony, all finalists will have demonstrated that they are the very best of Essex Tourism & Hospitality.
The ceremony celebrates success and excellence and is a showcase for Essex's fabulous products. Above all it provides finalists with a moment of well deserved glory which can be used to market, promote and improve their businesses still further.
The awards ceremony also acts as a beacon for all tourism and hospitality businesses in Essex, encouraging them to raise their game and become members of this quality elite.
All finalists will receive two complimentary places at the awards ceremony on Wednesday , October 23 at Boreham House, Chelmsford with the option to purchase extra tickets or whole tables.
Sponsored by Southend Airport
This award recognises the personal and professional achievement and contribution by an individual over many years to the Essex tourism industry.
An emphasis is placed on the activities and contribution of the nominee outside the expectations of normal employment. Suitable candidates may self nominate or be nominated by another party.
Please visit www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/tourism awards to make a nomination or to enter.
Sponsored by Colchester Institute
Young Chef of the Year is truly one of the most aspirational categories of the awards programme.
We are looking for a promising young culinary superstar who can show us they can put together an exciting and innovative menu and cook it!
If you are learning to cook at school or at home and you have a passion for cooking then send us your entry.
Colchester Institute is proud to be sponsoring the Young Chef of the Year category.
The hotel and catering industry is one of the largest for employment in the United Kingdom and the college understands the importance of encouraging the next generation to gain qualifications and experience in this ever growing field.
It has never been more important to ensure young people learn to live a healthy lifestyle, beginning with the ability to cook a range of nourishing food.
By sponsoring this category, Colchester Institute aims to highlight the importance of this to the next generation of chefs.
Students should be aged between 12 and 15 years and attending school or college in Essex.
How to enter
You can enter at www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/ hospitalityawards and click on the 'Young Chef of the Year' category! Or call Anne Pocock for an entry form on 01245 400878.
Sponsored by Chelmsford City Council
Customer service is at the heart of every successful business, so it is the contact with the customer that counts.
The moments of truth that your customers have with your organisation, from hitting your website, to phoning your organisation, to ordering a product or service, to receiving it and of course being able to help when things go wrong.
The reality of good customer service is what your customers expects from you at every contact they have with you.
Understanding and segmenting your customers so you can be clear what needs they have from you will help you to exceed their expectations.
There are three categories in the Customer Service of the Year Award
Best Restaurant Service
Best Tourism Service
Best Tourist Information Centre
Closing date for entries Friday, July 12.
For details of all the categories in the awards programme and how to enter visit the awards web site www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/tourismawards or www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/hospitalityawards
