Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards: Frequently Asked Questions

The REYTAs are open to tourism businesses in the Hull, East Yorkshire and Yorkshire Wolds character area. Please check your business is within the boundaries of the REYTA competition, and that your business meets the definition of tourism product and the eligibility criteria of the category you want to enter before starting an application.

 

• Only tourism businesses who directly serve the end-users (i.e. the tourist/ visitor/ guest) and who control the visitor experience are eligible.
• Applicants that operate multiple sites (e.g. chains, self catering agencies) are invited to submit applications that relate to only one site (up to a maximum of 3 separate applications per category).
  • Any award must then be associated with this one property or location, and not the agency/ chain as whole.

This includes a number of different types of business:

• Accommodation e.g. hotels, bed & breakfasts, guest houses, self-catering/serviced apartments, hostels, holiday boats, camping, caravanning, glamping, lodges, shepherds huts, chalets
• Hospitality i.e. a single food and beverage service business e.g. pub, restaurant, café, tea room, coffee shop, bistros, food and drink markets, kiosks & street food (in a regular location). [For these purposes the definition of a food and drink market is a collection of independent food and drink establishments with ancillary services (e.g. parking area, toilets, security, visitor information) and maintained by a management firm as an entity.]
• Transport services e.g. rail, road, water, airports and rental
• Guided tours
• Cultural services, e.g. theatres, musical entertainment venues, sporting venues
• Business events venues
• Sporting, adventure and recreational activities
• Retail i.e. a single retail outlet or shopping centre that attracts a significant number of people visiting from outside the local area [For these purposes the definition of a shopping centre is a collection of independent retail stores with ancillary services (e.g. parking area, toilets, security, visitor information) and maintained by a management firm as an entity.]
• Businesses providing supporting services to visitors in-person within the destination e.g. visitor information providers, left luggage services
• Visitor attractions that meet the visitor attraction definition: a permanently established excursion destination, a primary purpose of which is to allow access for entertainment, interest, or education and can include places of worship; rather than being primarily a retail outlet or a venue for sporting, theatrical, or film performances. It must be open to the public, with or without prior booking, for published periods each year, and should be capable of attracting day visitors or tourists as well as local residents.

The REYTAs were designed to be a business development tool aimed to highlight what businesses are doing well, areas that could be improved, as well as inform VHEY of what tools would be useful. Now, VHEY work in partnership with the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence opening more opportunities including the chance to be recognised nationally.

 

Watch our short video to find out why you should apply for the REYTAs.

Applications open late spring in May/June and usually close end of July/beginning of August. Dates can vary slightly year on year but will be updated here when they are available for the year.

2025: Applications open 19th June 2025 and close midnight on Friday 1st August 2025

Subscribe to our email newsletter using the link in the footer to keep up to date with the REYTAs.

To check eligibility, you can either download the sample application for the category you want to apply for, or you can check when you select the category to start an application on OpenWater. It’s important to check the criteria before applying as we cannot accept applications that do not meet the criteria.

All of the categories to enter this year are on the main REYTA page.

Yes. The REYTAs carry a combination of business and sector wide categories. We would recommend only entering one business category for example either Remarkable Self Catering Accommodation of the year or Remarkable Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the year but not both of these. However, you could also apply for one of the sector wide categories if your business meets the criteria. Sector wide categories include:

Remarkable Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

Remarkable Regenerative Tourism Award

Remarkable East Yorkshire Passion

The application consists of your business details and background, a promotional description and images, links to your website, social media and online reviews, followed by 4 questions.

The form is based around 4 main questions: top qualities, recent improvements, successes and future improvements.

Make your application Remarkable with our helpful hints and tips:

> Create your own account in order to login and continue your application when is suitable.

> You can save your progress at any point.

> Once completed, click submit and you will receive a confirmation message indicating your application has been successfully submitted.

> Once submitted you will not be able to change your application.

> We receive lots of applications so make yours stand out! Show us the passion you have for your business and tell us about your amazing qualities.

> You are judged on the answers you provide; evidence should support what you say in your application.

> Give Examples! Tell us what you did, why you did and the impact it had on your business.

> When completing your application assume judges have not visited your business and paint them a clear picture of your service and why it is fantastic.

> Supporting evidence is optional but it is recommended that you supply evidence to support your application.

> Examples of evidence include quality assessment reports, awards, social media ratings, customer feedback, menus, press cuttings, certificates, leaflets, photographs or even business plans.

> For the Experience/Event category only, video footage or a link to footage of a maximum of 3 minutes would be helpful.

> If you’re entering for the events category, remember that events cannot be mystery shopped and assume judges did not attend so your application needs to be clear and detailed, showing your event in its best light.

> If we feel that the category you have entered is inappropriate, we will contact you to suggest an alternative.

> The REYTAs celebrates excellence but also looks for businesses that are striving to improve, so make sure to detail your improvements in your application.

If you have any questions, please get in touch: info@vhey.co.uk.

 

Also see this helpful video

Yes, once you’ve created an OpenWater account, you can save your progress and return to your application another time.

Congratulations on submitting your REYTA entry! Once applications close, they are judged by our expert panel of judges and finalists are determined. Finalists are announced early in September, the VHEY team will email to let you know if you’re a finalist or unsuccessful. Finalists go on to round 2 judging.

For round 1 judging, every application is checked against the eligibility criteria and judged by expert panel of judges. Once the finalists are announced, the finalists move onto round 2 judging, where one of our independent judges visit the businesses. The REYTAs aim to complete as many unannounced visits as possible but where this is not possible the judge will contact the business to arrange a visit.

Round 1 judging takes place when applications close, during August.

Round 2 judging takes place when finalists are announced in September until the end of October. Exact dates are released when the REYTAs open for applications and are available in the applicant terms and conditions.

Finalists are announced in September, and you’ll find out if you’re finalist via email where you’ll also be invited to the REYTAs awards ceremony. The VHEY will also promote finalist through PR and social channels. Finalist businesses will then move onto round 2 judging, where they will receive a visit from an independent judge.

There is no cost to enter the awards. However, when you enter the awards, you agree to reimbursing the judge for their visit, should your business be shortlisted.

The REYTAs ceremony is usually held on a midweek evening in November however this can always be subject to change. The date will be confirmed when applications open.

The awards ceremony is a 3-course gala dinner with entertainment. It’s a celebration of the region and the remarkable tourism businesses in the area.

They VHEY team organise coach transport to and from the event depending on demand. If transport will be available, this will be included in your finalist or tickets email.

Tickets are available once finalists are announced, and all details will be shared via email.

Ticket prices are set each year and are available when finalists are announced.

Every finalist business receives two complimentary tickets. This is 2 tickets per business not by 2 per category shortlisted. You can buy additional tickets.