Tourism, hospitality and visitor attractions in Stone are being encouraged to put themselves forward for the 2027 Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards, with entries now officially open.
The annual awards celebrate the people and businesses that help make Staffordshire a visitor destination, with attractions, accommodation providers, restaurants, pubs, cafés and other tourism businesses competing across 21 categories.
The competition, now in its 13th year, is organised by the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Local Visitor Economy Partnership, in partnership with VisitEngland.
For businesses in Stone, the awards offer the chance to gain county recognition and, for category winners, a route through to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
Arthur Barnard, Chair of the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Local Visitor Economy Partnership, said
“We’re all excited to be launching our 2027 awards competition which gets bigger and better every year.
“Last year saw the highest number of new entries to our competition which is great, engaging even more of the businesses in our fantastic county. The competition also provides an opportunity for Staffordshire businesses to recognise the hard work of their teams, and the only way for them to qualify for the national awards.”
The awards are open to tourism and hospitality businesses across Staffordshire, including Stoke-on-Trent, and are free to enter.
Martin Murray, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, said
“Staffordshire is the beating heart of the country, a place where our rich heritage, beautiful landscapes, amazing hospitality and world-class attractions come together to create unforgettable experiences.
“Our tourism and hospitality businesses play a vital role in showcasing everything that makes Staffordshire special, while supporting jobs and our local economy. These awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the people and businesses whose passion and innovation help make our county such a fantastic destination. That’s why Staffordshire is England’s Playground.”
Details of categories, registration for the webinars and workshops and how to apply are available on the Visit Staffordshire awards’ webpage.
Applications must be submitted online before Monday 6 September 2026.
