The East of England Tourism Awards 2022-2023 are now open for entries, celebrating the plethora of tourism businesses our region has to offer.

The award for Self Catering Accommodation of the Year recognises businesses that go above and beyond to provide customers with unique and engaging holiday experiences.

“Self-catering accommodation is more popular than ever with the Great British holidaying public and makes a significant contribution to the success of our regional tourism economy,” said Jolene Clark, regional sales director of award sponsor cottages.com.

“Whether it’s a cosy coastal cottage or chic city apartments, the flexibility offered by these properties attracts guests who want a great place to stay combined with the freedom to explore the local area and support our wealth of wonderful pubs, restaurants, cafes and local traders.”

Jolene added that customers have so much choice when it comes to their holidays nowadays, and so businesses hoping to stand out must demonstrate excellence across all areas.

“Last year the emphasis for this award was very much on those who had gone the extra mile to reassure guests that their accommodation was safe and clean in the wake of the pandemic,” said Jolene. “That remains vitally important, but property owners need to go beyond that now to stand out from the crowd.”

Awards can undoubtedly help to put your business on the map, and the title of Self Catering Accommodation of the Year demonstrates to customers that you are a trusted provider, as Jolene explained: “Customers definitely look for these types of third-party endorsements when making choices about where to stay and spend their money, and an East of England Tourism Award is the benchmark of quality for holiday businesses in our area.

“We want business owners to be proud of the service and standards they provide – especially as, in the world of self-catering, these can be so personal and unique. Self-catering owners are a great advert for the best the region has to offer and they deserve to be recognised for their contribution.”

Meet the sponsor

cottages.com is a leading UK provider of holiday properties and luxury homes and offers more than 22,000 places to stay across the UK.

From coastal retreats to country castles, the brand is home to a number of unique, inspiring collections, each offering something different, and helps more than 1.4 million guests and more than 167,000 pets find their perfect break every year.

The cottages.com brand is part of the Awaze group, one of Europe’s leading managed vacation rentals and holiday resorts businesses.

Archant organises and hosts the annual East of England Tourism Awards to recognise and celebrate those businesses and individuals that contribute to the regional visitor economy. The awards are open for entries until Sunday, October 2. To enter, please visit www.tourismawards.co.uk