Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides have been shortlisted in the top 10 finalists for the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar award 2024.
The annual competition champions those in the tourism industry who are passionate about the destination they work in and provide an unforgettable visitor experience, setting the bar high for the standard of service in England’s tourism industry. The winners will be revealed at the end of English Tourism Week, 15 – 24 March, based on the highest number of public votes on VisitEngland’s website.
The Tour Guides currently run daily tours for both UK and international visitors, plus ghost walks, tours for schools and journalists, and orientation tours for US personnel stationed at RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall. They also create bespoke tours for special events such as the Abbey 1,000 anniversary in 2022 and this year’s Masters of the Air tour, showcasing the ‘The Friendly Invasion’ of Bury by the US Eighth Air Force during WWII.
John Saunders, Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides, said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted as finalists. We take pride in showing visitors round Bury St Edmunds and helping to support the local economy.
“We also try to reach out to people who might feel that disability or impairment prevents them from enjoying our tours, such as those living with dementia or sight loss. To be recognised in the top 10 superstars in England is a tremendous accolade, and we hope that people will support us with their votes.”
Sue Warren, Marketing Manager for the town’s official tourism brand Bury St Edmunds and Beyond, who nominated the tour guides said; “Our guides are the unsung heroes of our destination, delivering tours to visitors since 1978. What they don’t know about Bury St Edmunds is not worth knowing”.
The 10 finalists were selected out of dozens of submissions from employers and destinations across England covering all areas of tourism. The public will be able to vote for their favourite superstar on VisitEngland’s website from mid-February when the competition officially opens. Short films of the finalists carrying out their tourism roles will be shown on VisitEngland’s website to support the voting.
The superstar with the highest number of votes will be crowned winner with the Tourism Superstar award handed out in spring at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence event.
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “We have the most wonderful people working in our industry and Tourism Superstar is about recognising those individuals who go the extra mile to make visitor experiences truly special.
“I congratulate the 10 finalists and wish them every success in the competition, though of course they are all superstars already. I also encourage everyone to get involved and cast their votes once the competition opens.”
For more information about VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar competition, go to https://www.visitbritain.org/working-us/visitenglands-tourism-superstar-award.
