Entry Guidance & Best Practice

How to use this guide

This page combines the official question guidance with proven hints and tips from judges. Work through each section carefully before writing your entry.

Part A covers what each question is asking for  •  Part B gives you the best-practice techniques to make your entry shine.

Part A: Question-by-Question Guidance

Question 1: Your Top Qualities

Make your business stand out by showing excellence in everything you do. Focus on delivering a high-quality product and outstanding customer experience, supported by strong teamwork, creativity and attention to detail.

What to highlight

The quality of your core offer and customer experience

Extra touches that delight your customers

How you support and motivate your team

Your use of local suppliers

Creative marketing and promotion

Accessibility and inclusivity

Your approach to sustainability

Innovation, adaptability and resilience

Show what makes you different

Explain why your business stands out from competitors. Use customer feedback to demonstrate your impact. What do people say about you, and what makes their experience memorable?

Think about your whole business

Consider all areas where you excel, including your service, facilities, team culture, sustainability, accessibility and innovation.

Customer experience - show how you:

Go the extra mile for customers

Train and support your team

Respond to feedback and resolve issues

Create memorable, high-quality experiences

Marketing & promotion - share examples including:

What you did and why

Any creative or new approaches

Use of social media or partnerships

The impact on your business

Accessibility & inclusivity - demonstrate how you:

Provide clear accessibility information

Offer inclusive facilities and services

Train staff to support different needs

Reach wider audiences - from families to older visitors

Accessibility - detailed evidence points to consider

Information in alternative formats: large print, audio, subtitles, BSL, Braille

Clear, inclusive signage (e.g. 'accessible toilet' not 'disabled toilet')

Printed menus and maps following clear-print guidelines

Designated parking, sufficient seating, accessible toilets, hearing loops, quiet spaces

Accessible facilities of same quality as standard facilities

Dedicated sessions for specific groups: touch tours, relaxed sessions, dementia-friendly

Good lighting and colour contrast throughout

Staff trained and confident in serving customers with accessibility requirements

Accessibility champion within the business

Disabled people and/or professionals engaged for feedback and recommendations

Question 2: Your Recent Improvements

Detail up to five ways in which you have developed your business and/or improved the customer experience over the last two years.

Key areas to cover (not all mandatory)

Promotional initiatives e.g. new website, social media

Improving the skills of you and your team

Expansion, upgrade of facilities or services

Facilities and welcome for people with accessibility requirements

Managing and improving environmental, social and economic impacts

Innovative adaptation, diversification and/or resilience building

Use of digital technologies

For each improvement, answer the full journey:

Why did you decide to do it? (what drove the need)

How did you decide what to do?

How did you embed sustainability into the plans?

What targets did you set out to achieve?

How have you monitored outcomes and outputs?

Approximate date of improvement

Question 3: Your Results

Attribute three successes from the last year directly to the improvements you detailed in Question 2. This is where metrics matter most, be specific and evidence-based.

Use figures and specific examples such as:

Increase in occupancy levels / visitor numbers / sales

Increase in customer satisfaction scores

Wastage reduction

Increase in online bookings or repeat business

Business generated from marketing activity

Growth of social media following and engagement

Make your results compelling

Show before vs. after comparisons wherever possible

Use % growth figures (visitors, revenue, bookings)

Include review scores over time

Highlight repeat visit rates

State how significant the impact has been on the overall business

Question 4: Your Future Plans

Advise three ways you will develop and promote your business over the next year. Judges will be looking for detailed, well-evidenced future plans with a clear rationale across the business.

Areas to consider (not all mandatory):

Continued innovation, adaptation, diversification and/or resilience building

Accessibility improvements, facilities, information and staff training

Environmental, social and economic impact management

Expansion or upgrade of facilities and services

Skills development for you and your team

Marketing, PR and business partnerships

Operational efficiency improvements

Digital technologies - automation, AI, robotics

Strengthen your future plans section

Explain how you identified the need or opportunity

State the impact you are looking for each plan to have

Include clear KPIs and targets

Show how sustainability is embedded in future thinking

Part B: Best Practice - How to win

These tips are drawn from recurring judge feedback. They apply across all questions. Read them before you write a single word.

Be Specific, Evidence-Based and Results-Focused

✓  Use metrics wherever possible

◦  % growth in visitors, revenue or bookings

◦  Review scores over time

◦  Repeat visit rates

✓  Show before vs. after improvements clearly

✓  Include clear KPIs and targets in future plans

✓  Don't make vague or ambiguous claims, judges want facts

Make Your Online Presence Work Hard for You

✓  Judges assess your digital presence alongside your written entry

◦  Website: easy to navigate, with location, booking and key info visible

◦  Include high-quality images and video

◦  Make sustainability policies and accessibility info easy to find

✓  Social media: consistent, relevant, engaging and aligned to your award category

✓  Reply to ALL reviews, show personality, engagement and commitment to improvement

✓  Imagery should be professional, inspiring and category-relevant

Don't Just Do It: Show It (Sustainability & Accessibility)

✓  Generic or hidden claims lose marks, evidence everything

✓  Create dedicated pages on your website for sustainability and accessibility

✓  Include policies, actions, outcomes and certifications (if applicable)

✓  Use real case studies, not vague statements

✓  Make this information easy to find, don't bury it

Nail the Customer Journey (Especially Booking & Pre-Arrival)

✓  Judges carrying out mystery shopping have noted issues with contacting businesses and booking

✓  Test your own customer journey, can people book and contact you easily?

✓  Provide clear pre-arrival information

✓  Include FAQs and clear expectations (e.g. what is included in experiences)

Demonstrate Wow Factor and Storytelling

✓  To get shortlisted nationally, your entry needs to stand out

✓  Bring your story to life - what makes you unique? Why should you win nationally?

✓  Use strong narrative, customer stories and testimonials

✓  Include standout moments that judges will remember

Align Your Content to the Category

✓  Content not tailored to the category is a common weakness

✓  Tailor every answer to the specific award category

✓  Highlight relevant audiences, case studies and industry-specific strengths

◦  E.g. MICE content for events venues; family focus for family attractions

Cover All Areas Thoroughly — Don't Leave Gaps

✓  Every question scores — treat them all as critical

✓  No gaps: balanced strength across all sections

✓  Ensure all aspects of your business are represented

✓  Read through your form twice and ask a colleague to review it

What separates national winners

★  Consistency across every area of the business

★  Stronger innovation, leadership and impact

★  Clear evidence of being best-in-class, not just locally strong

★  A compelling story that judges remember long after reading

Quick-Reference Checklist — Before You Submit 

✓  Start preparation early, don't rush your entry at the last minute

✓ Register your category on Openwater to avoid missing the deadline

✓ Tailor every answer to the specific category

✓ Use facts, no vague or inaccurate claims

✓ Support all answers with evidence and metrics

✓ Cover accessibility and sustainability in detail

✓ Don't assume judges know your business

✓ Use the full word count, make every word count. No duplication

✓ Ensure all areas of the business are covered

✓ Show how you act on feedback (including mistakes!)

✓ Read through the form twice and ask a colleague to review

✓ Check your website and reviews are up to date before submitting

✓ Submit on time (before 12th June 2026)