Manchester Tourism Awards 2011

The winners of the Manchester Tourism Awards 2011 are:

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: The Fusilier Museum
The mystery shoppers reported that the venue and staff went way beyond expectation and they were extremely impressed with both the museum and every member of staff they came into contact with. The judges loved the workshops which bring the museum to life and the military precision in cleanliness and the way the museum is set out.

Large Tourism Retailer of the Year: The Trafford Centre
An outstanding application, The Trafford Centre continues to go from strength to strength. The centre has exemplary staff training and environmental policies, and has delivered some really innovative marketing activities over the last 12 months. Customer satisfaction levels have risen to an impressive 91% in 2010 and a continued investment of £50 million is planned over the next few years.

Outstanding Customer Service Award: Sherman Willian, The Lowry Hotel
Sherman is an excellent ambassador for the Manchester hospitality industry. He has won The Lowry Hotel's employee of the year award every year since he started in 2007 and the endorsements from his colleagues and friends are really heartfelt, describing Sherman as 'a real star'.

Independent Retailer of the Year: Manchester Craft and Design Centre
The Craft and Design Centre is a distinctive venue, offering a unique shopping experience to visitors to Manchester. The centre works as a great ambassador for Manchester and promotes the work of local craftspeople outside of the region.

Small Tourism Event of the Year: Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair
The biggest craft fair in the North is improving year on year. The event has a great volunteer programme and the levels of customer service are highly praised by the visitors to the fair. The team take part in lots of joint marketing with other galleries, museums and hotels and is really engaged into the wider offering.

B&B of the Year: Meadowcroft Barn B&B
Kath has put her heart and soul into Meadowcroft Barn and her passion for the business shines through. The facilities are in pristine condition and the commitment to using local produce is commendable. Meadowcroft Barn has achieved 5* Gold VisitBritain rating - a phenomenal achievement for a business that has been open for just 18 months.

Serviced Apartments of the Year: SACO Manchester
The clean, spacious and up-to-date accommodation was a real hit with the mystery shoppers. The judges praised their involvement in local partnership activities and the training that staff take part in. They also cater very well for guests with disabilities.

Tourism Marketing Campaign of the Year: The Manchester Weekender
The joint collaboration between the museums and galleries to deliver The Manchester Weekender was very popular with the judges. The design creative, national advertising campaign and use of social media created a fresh, innovative campaign which shows promise for the future.

Tourism Restaurant of the Year: Michael Caines Restaurant
The judges praised the grazing menus' dishes and presentation of the food and also commented that and the service, décor and furnishings were all superb. Michael Caines reputation is second to none, and he is a great name to be associated with dining in Manchester.

Best Night Out: Taurus Bar
Located in the heart of the Gay Village, Taurus Bar is where the community meet. Enjoyed by all ages, genders and orientations; it is a melting pot of those who share a mindset. A relaxed atmosphere with excellent food & drink, Taurus is the place to convene.

Large Tourism Event of the Year: Manchester Christmas Markets 2010
The growth of the Christmas Markets over the last few years has led them to become a outstanding retail experience in Manchester, attracting national and international visitors to the city. There is real pride in what the Christmas Markets has achieved and the team have a future vision to where they are going with lots of plans to make the markets bigger and better year on year.

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: MOSI (The Museum of Science & Industry)
MOSI is very popular attraction with a great standard of fixed exhibits and special exhibitions. There is an understanding of what people want to see in a museum and how they want to be entertained. The mystery shoppers were impressed by the enthusiasm and knowledge of the staff and had a very enjoyable and informed visit.

Business Tourism Award: The Lowry Hotel
The judges couldn't find fault with their approach to business tourism. The hotel has a strong ethos of treating all business tourism customers as individuals with a personal approach to service. The hotel has a first class reputation for food and accommodation and should also now be recognised as a premier business tourism venue.

Hotel of the Year: Mint Hotel Manchester
The service and room standards are exceptional for the price and the food was of high quality. The staff were particularly praised by the judges as being very helpful and nothing was too much trouble. The hotel is committed to building local partnerships and is a well established, quality hotel in Manchester.