Entries open for Visit Cheshire Tourism Awards 2027 with new Rising Star category to celebrate young people

Entries are now open for the Visit Cheshire Tourism Awards 2027, sponsored by Staff86.

Organised by Marketing Cheshire, the awards celebrate the businesses and people powering Cheshire and Warrington's £4.32bn visitor economy. This year, 18 categories are up for grabs recognising the region’s best attractions, hotels and BnBs, restaurants, pubs and events.

A brand-new award joins the line-up, the Cheshire Rising Star. It honours a 16-to-24-year-old who has shown outstanding commitment to building skills, advancing their career, and contributing to the region's tourism sector.

The call for entries follows a record-breaking 2026 ceremony. Held on 5 March at a sold-out Walton Hall and Gardens, 350 guests watched former Emmerdale star Kevin Fletcher and his wife Liz, stars of ITV's Fletcher's Family Farm, crown the winners.

Highlights included BeWILDerwood Cheshire taking Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, and Chester Zoo claiming two awards: Regenerative Tourism and Team of the Year. The zoo welcomed more than 2.1 million visitors in 2025, its highest attendance ever. The 2027 ceremony will take place early next year with the host venue announced soon.

Select category winners will go on to represent Cheshire and Warrington at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.  Our region’s Unsung Hero winner Jayne Chapman from Tatton Park is a finalist for this year’s national awards, which will take place on 3 June in Bristol.

Jamie Christon, Chair of Marketing Cheshire and CEO of Chester Zoo, said: “We are thrilled to open for entries to the Visit Cheshire Tourism Awards 2027 – a standout celebration on the region’s calendar.  

“Cheshire and Warrington are home to many of the best attractions, leisure and hospitality businesses in the country and these awards are all about recognising innovation, excellence and sheer hard work of the people behind them. 

“We are also delighted to confirm a new Rising Star category which will honour exceptional young talent in our region. 

“Many of our past winners report boosted customer numbers, improved team morale, and recruitment benefits, so get working on your entries now.” 

For full details on how to enter, please visit: https://industry.visitcheshire.com/tourism-awards.

Headline sponsor Staff 86 operates across two specialist divisions: Staff 86 Temporary, delivering skilled short-term support, and Staff 86 Permanent, focused on long-term hires. Specialising in events and hospitality, among other sectors, they are a people-first staffing and recruitment partner.

https://industry.visitcheshire.com/blog/tatton-parks-farm-manager-jayne-chapman-has-been-nominated-for-an-unsung-hero-award