Events & Training

Northern Lights Tourism Award Categories
Award Category Description

Come to Aberdeen Trophy

The Award:  Acknowledges those who have made a significant contribution to increasing the value of tourism to Aberdeen City.

Who should enter:  Individuals, businesses and business groups who are passionate about tourism in Aberdeen City

What the judges are looking for: Developments and initiatives that raise the profile of the city as a visitor destination.

Sponsored by Aberdeen City Council

Nominees:

Pam Wells Ltd

Aberdeen Performing Arts

Elma McMenemy Tourism Marketing & PR

Aberdeenshire Tourism Initiative

The Award: Recognises real and demonstrated passion for tourism in Aberdeenshire.

Who should enter: Individuals, community group and businesses passionate about tourism in Aberdeenshire.

What the judges are looking for: High quality products, services, or initiatives that contribute to attracting visitors, increasing visitor’s enjoyment and improving the visitor experience.

Sponsored by Aberdeenshire Council

Nominees:

Dean's Shortbread Visitor Centre

Turriff District Agricultural Association

Braemar Community Limited

Customer Service

The Award: Celebrating businesses that put the customer first.

Who should enter: Businesses that can demonstrate significant benefits from implementing a customer service initiative.

What the judges are looking for: The delivery of the initiative, the customer feedback and monitoring processes used to evaluate service standards, and future plans for enhancing high standards of customer care.

Sponsored by The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa

Nominees:

Upperkrust (Aberdeen Ltd)

Whytes Coaches

Aberdeenshire Council Caravan Parks

Tourism and Sustainability

The Award:  Recognising companies that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and minimising their impact on the environment.

Who should enter:  All tourism and hospitality organisations committed to a sustainable Scotland   

What the judges are looking for: Evidence of a clearly articulated and widely communicated sustainability strategy embedded in the company’s business practises, together with examples of policies that improve business performance and innovative approaches to reflect the environmental, economic and social elements of sustainability.

Sponsored by BAA Aberdeen Airport

Nominees:

Aberdeenshire Council Ranger Services

Greenbrae Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast

Innovation

The Awards: Celebrates those with the courage and determination to create a successful and innovative product.

Who should enter: Individuals, businesses, partnerships and collaborative groups that have achieved success by delivering an innovative project.

What the judges are looking for:  Evidence of the delivery of an innovative product or business process that has not previously existed within tourism. It may also represent a new way of packaging tourism services or of expanding or entering new markets.

Sponsored by Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre

Nominees:

Tin Hut Sessions (Fraser Wilson)

Dean's Shortbread Visitor Centre

Visitor Experience

Staff from Aberdeen City and Shire’s 11 Visitor Information Centres will be nominating those businesses which, through word of mouth, they believe have been going that extra mile to exceed visitor expectations and improve the visitor experience.


Sponsored by VisitScotland

Nominees:

Stonehaven Open Air Pool

The Gordon Highlanders Museum

Braemar Castle

Manager of the Year

The Awards: This award looks to recognise an individual who has made a significant contribution to increasing the quality of hospitality and tourism in the region.

Who should enter: People who have influence not only their own business development through application of sound management practises, but also had an influence across the hospitality and tourism sector in terms of raising the profile of the region.

What the judges are looking for:  Consistency of quality delivery as evidenced through team building and positive customer feedback. Annual Sales growth and economic impact on the region will also be considered. Special recognition will be given to individuals who have demonstrated the introduction of innovative practices to their company and/or the industry.

Sponsored by The Aberdeen Business School

Nominees:

Allan Cairnduff - Stonehaven Horizon Project

Jane Ross - Glen Tanar Ballroom