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Tourism Awards recognise Lancashire’s most skilled

Lancashire's most skilled tourism staff and businesses have been recognised in this year's Lancashire Excellence in Tourism Skills Awards (LETS) organised by Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board and supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency.

Ten awards were handed out during a glittering ceremony at the Paramount Imperial Hotel in Blackpool on Thursday 22 November.

Guest presenter was the Cleveleys born actress Hayley Tamaddon, who played Delilah Dingle in ITV's Emmerdale and has appeared in The Royal and Where the Heart Is.

Hayley was runner up in ITV's Soapstar Superstar and among the tourism `superstars` she was able to honour were category winners Amanda Thompson from the Pleasure Beach, Huntley's of Samlesbury and `unsung hero` Duncan Gill from the Whitehall Hotel in Darwen.

The full list of LETS Awards 2007 winners is:

Excellence in Customer Service (sponsored by Welcome to Excellence)
Winner - Gary Henshall, Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
Highly Commended - Box Office and Front of House, Grand Theatre, Blackpool

Best New Entrant
Winner - Miles O'Donnell, The Spread Eagle, Sawley

Unsung Hero
Winner - Duncan Gill, The Whitehall Hotel, Darwen
Highly Commended - Kate McNeill, Farington Lodge, Leyland

Young Tourism Manager (sponsored by Pontins)
Winner - James Smith, Farington Lodge, Leyland
Highly Commended - Louise Carlton, O'Este Restaurant, Ormskirk

Lancashire Young Chef (sponsored by Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board)
Winner - Simon Salt, Nigel Smith's Restaurant, Ribby Hall Village, Wrea Green

Most Valuable Volunteer
Winner - Pat Ascroft, Voluntary Countryside Ranger, Wyre Borough Council's Coast and Countryside Service

Dedication to Learning
Winner - Sarah Thomas, Blackpool Zoo

Best Practice in Tourism Training (sponsored by Sleepwell Hotels)
Winner - Pleasure Beach, Blackpool

Commitment to Industry (sponsored by Sandcastle Waterpark)
Winner - Amanda Thompson, Pleasure Beach, Blackpool
Highly Commended - Liz Jones, Stanley House, Mellor

Tourism Team of the Year (sponsored by Blackpool International Airport)
Winner - Huntley's of Samlesbury, near Preston
Highly Commended - Keepers at Blackpool Zoo, Blackpool

There were 72 individuals and businesses entering the LETS Awards this year. This included the highest number of business entries since the awards began five years ago.

Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board leads on skills and training in the tourism industry for the whole of the North West. The tourist board's chief executive Mike Wilkinson said:

"New capital investment in tourism is always welcome but we should never underestimate the importance of people in delivering great customer care and using their skills productively. Being a well funded attraction or hotel is absolutely pointless in the long run unless you have good staff, especially as customers have so many choices nowadays.

"While we still have some way to go in Lancashire, these awards show once again we can deliver world class service here. Everyone who entered this year's awards deserves to be praised. They are true ambassadors for our industry and I wish them well for the future."

James Berresford, Director of Tourism at the Northwest Regional Development Agency said: "A well trained and skilled workforce is fundamental to the success of any business, in the tourism industry perhaps more so than anywhere else. Talented staff play a huge role in the quality of the visitor experience, and to ensure service of the highest quality it is vital that we continue to invest in them. Tonight's winners demonstrate the professionalism that we already have within the industry. I hope that their success will be an inspiration to others."