Awards judge amazed at transformation of Welsh tourism

A Cheese company, a Victorian country house and even Native American teepees were all among the winners at an awards ceremony last night rewarding the best of Welsh tourism.

The Welsh National Tourism Awards, held at Bodelwyddan Castle in Denbighshire, named winners in 14 categories as diverse as entrepreneurship, hotel accommodation, alternative projects and marketing, while the competition’s judge revealed his amazement at the strides taken by the tourism industry in Wales in the past 20 years.

Among the winners were Ynyshir Hall in Machynlleth and The Old Vicarage, near Presteigne, which won the prestigious Gold Star for hotel and guest accommodation respectively, Eco Retreats in Machynlleth, winners of the Real Alternative award for a venture which provides accommodation in teepees and Mongolian yurts, and Susan Fiander-Woodhouse, who was named Tourism Entrepreneur for her work at the Blaenafon Cheddar Company and Mountain Tours Ltd.

The awards were judged by David Atkinson, an award-winning travel writer and co-author of Lonely Planet’s most recent Wales edition, who said the country was now leading the way in developing tourism across Britain.