Two Visit York Tourism Award winners celebrated at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence – the tourism industry’s annual national awards – following their success earlier this year at the Visit York Tourism Awards 2025.
The Wizard Walk of York won the Silver Award for Experience of the Year.
The Wizard Walk of York is a family-friendly walking tour which combines spellbinding magic and comedy with York’s history. Continuing the streak, the walking tour was also recognised with top honours, winning at the 2024 Visit York Tourism Awards and taking home the Gold Award for New Tourism Business of the Year at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024.
Sandburn Hall won the Silver Award for Large Hotel of the Year.
Nestling in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside, Sandburn Hall offers rooms with views across the lakes, woodland and courtyard garden, with access to an 18-hole golf course and locally sourced produce at the Tykes Restaurant.
Last night’s ceremony, 4 June, took place at the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange. The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence champion the very best of the country’s tourism industry celebrating quality, innovation, best practice and exceptional customer service.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director at Make It York, said:
“Congratulations to The Wizard Walk of York and Sandburn Hall! We’re proud to celebrate the excellence these businesses bring to our city and the tourism industry. Their achievements highlight what makes York a truly world-class destination.”
View all the winners and finalists for the Visit York Tourism Awards 2025 where Sandburn Hall won Large Hotel of the Year (sponsored by Streamline Taxis) and The Wizard Walk of York were awarded Experience of the Year (sponsored by LNER).
Applications for the 2026 Visit York Tourism Awards, sponsored by LNER, will open on 16 June and the deadline for applications is 5 September. The ceremony will be held on Thursday 12 March 2026 at York Racecourse.
Read more details on the VisitEngland Award For Excellence here.
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Notes to Editors
PRESS RELEASE: 5 June 2025
About Make It York
Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. Its mission is to grow the economic prosperity and wider wellbeing of York and its citizens. In practice, this means delivering a range of projects and programmes based around our corporate strategic priorities. These are: City positioning and profile-raising; Ensuring an exciting city centre; Delivering the city’s ground-breaking Cultural Strategy. MakeItYork.com
About Visit York
Visit York is a part of Make It York and is the leisure tourism brand. Under the brand Visit York, Make It York’s aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure and business visitor and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York. Activity covers all aspects of tourism marketing and PR, including market intelligence, as well as providing business support through the membership programme. Visit York operate the Visit York Pass, York’s city-sightseeing card, and run the Visitor Information Centre. VisitYork.org
