A VISITOR information service, a village inn, a running festival and a luxury B&B were among the winners in a tourism showcase celebrating the best of the best of Dorset.

In what has been an unprecedented year for the industry, businesses which have demonstrated 'resilience and fortitude' in coping with the impact of the pandemic were praised at the 2020 Dorset Tourism Awards.

Organisers nearly cancelled the event – but said the level of early entries received, and the creativity and determination shown by entrants inspired them to make it happen. It went ahead online on Thursday.

Celebrating tourism excellence at such a difficult time is providing a major boost in helping to promote businesses which have been struggling and have had to adapt.

The awards period cover from mid 2019 to September 2020 – with a few variations for different categories. The deadline for entries had been extended due to people being off work and businesses closed.

Local gold winners included White Star Running's Run Jurassic 2019 (Tourism Event/Festival of the Year); Dorset House, Lyme Regis (B&B and Guesthouse of the Year), and Bridport TIC (Visitor Information Service of the Year). The TIC also got bronze in the Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism category.

As previously reported The Half Moon at Melplash won Pub of the Year.

Meanwhile, Kellie Court of Beaminster's Tangerine Café & Gallery won an Unsung Hero award. It is said that Kellie always goes 'above and beyond' to give customers a warm welcome and has kept in touch with regular customers during lockdown.

And Jurassic Coast Guides - which offers professionally guided walks, charity walks, tours, corporate walking events, and shore excursions - took two gold awards, for Experience of the Year and International Visitor Experience.

West Bay Discovery Centre took silver in the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award category and West Bay Play Area got bronze.

Beaminster's Dorset Forest Garden Glamping was a silver award winner Glamping Business of the Year) and Bridport's Bull Hotel also took silver (Hotel of the Year).

The day's top winner was Bournemouth’s Marsham Court Hotel, collecting three gold awards plus the prestigious Winner of Winners award.

The event saw 61 awards presented in 22 categories. It was the culmination of an 11 month programme that started in March 2020 with entrants judged on a combination of their entry submissions, digital presence, reviews and external evidence.

Organisers say the eighth year of the competition has been run in unprecedented times for tourism, but the focus on excellence and feedback for entrants has remained as relevant as ever.

All of the winners will be automatically considered for the regional South West Tourism Excellence Awards later in the year as well as receiving feedback from the judging process. The 2021/22 awards are planned to be launched in April.

Chairman of the Judging Panel Professor Peter Jones said: “Dorset tourism, like tourism the world over, is demonstrating resilience and fortitude in coping with the impact and implications of Covid-19 in some amazing ways. Entrants demonstrated creativity and innovation, passion for the industry, and enthusiasm in providing a great experience for their customers in the most difficult of circumstances."

2020 DORSET TOURISM AWARDS

WINNERS & COMMENDED (in alphabetical order)

ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD

Gold

HolidayInDorset – Birchcroft, Ferndown

Silver

West Bay Discovery Centre

Bronze

Ellwood Cottages, Blandford

West Bay Play Area

Commended

Pause Cat Café, Bournemouth

B&B AND GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR

Gold

Dorset House, Lyme Regis

Silver

St John’s Guest House, Weymouth

Bronze

Mory House Bed & Breakfast, Southbourne

Commended

Channel View Guesthouse, Weymouth

BUSINESS EVENTS & WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR

Gold

Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth

Silver

Upton Country Park, Poole

CAFÉ/TEAROOM OF THE YEAR

Gold

Picnic Park Deli, Bournemouth

Silver

Seasons Kitchen and Coffee Barn, Ringwood

Bronze

Pause Cat Café, Bournemouth

Commended

Upton Country Park Tea Rooms

CAMPING, CARAVANNING AND HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR

Gold

South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Lytchett Minster

Silver

Durdle Door Holiday Park

Bronze

Swanage Coastal Park

CASUAL DINING AWARD

Gold

Fish ‘n’ Fritz, Weymouth

Silver

Oriel on the Quay, Poole

Bronze

Peppina, Swanage

DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Gold

Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth

Silver

Upton Country Park

Commended

Polygon Pets Ltd, Poole

ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD

Gold

Pause Cat Café, Bournemouth

Silver

Farmstead Glamping, Sturminster Newton

Bronze

Bridport Tourist Information Centre

Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington

Commended

English Oak Vineyard, Poole

EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR (ACTIVE OR LEARNING)

Gold

Jurassic Coast Guides, Milborne St Andrew

Silver

Shore Campers – Campervan Hire, Bournemouth

Bronze

Fore / Adventure, Studland

GLAMPING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Tozers, tozers.co.uk

Gold

Farmstead Glamping, Sturminster Newton

Silver

Dorset Forest Garden Glamping, Beaminster

HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Gold

Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth

Silver

The Bull Hotel, Bridport

The Grange at Oborne, Sherborne

Bronze

RNLI College, Poole

INTERNATIONAL VISITOR EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR

Gold

Jurassic Coast Guides, Milborne St Andrew

LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR

Gold

The Tank Museum

Silver

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf, Bournemouth

NEW TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD

Gold

The Cross Keys, Sherborne

Silver

Shore Campers – Campervan Hire, Bournemouth

Bronze

Hammoon Manor – Luxury Retreat ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’, Sturminster Newton

Commended

The Tunnel Tree Tops, Charmouth

PUB OF THE YEAR

Gold

The Half Moon, Melplash

Silver

The Cross Keys, Sherborne

Bronze

The Milton Arms, Blandford

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Gold

Al Molo, Weymouth

Silver

Moose Kitchen, Charminster

Bronze

Zim Braai Ltd, Poole

Commended

Shalims Indian Restaurant, Weymouth

SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR

Gold

Burnbake Forest Lodges & Campsite, Corfe Castle

Silver

Dove House and Swallows, Dorchester

Bronze

Hammoon Manor – Luxury Retreat ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’, Sturminster Newton

SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR

Gold

Nothe Fort, Weymouth

Silver

Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington

Bronze

English Oak Vineyard, Poole

Commended

Dorset Falconry Park, Dorchester

West Bay Discovery Centre

TOURISM EVENT/FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR

Gold

White Star Running – Run Jurassic 2019, Bridport

Sculpture by the Lakes – Dorset Arts Festival 2020

Bronze

Dorset Festivals Consortium – Dorset Moon 2019

TOURISM INNOVATION AWARD

Gold

The Grange at Oborne

Silver

Sculpture by the Lakes

UNSUNG HERO AWARD

Unsung Heroes

Heather Brown, Dorset Foodie Feed

Kellie Court, Tangerine Café & Gallery, Beaminster

Yessica Falcon, Bournemouth Tourist Information Centre

VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE YEAR

Gold

Bridport Tourist Information Centre

Silver

Shaftesbury Tourist Information Centre

WINNER OF WINNERS

Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth