Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s vibrant visitor economy is celebrating national recognition, as three leading venues have been shortlisted for the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2026.
Nottingham Playhouse (nominated for Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award), Nottingham Venues (nominated for Business Events Venue of the Year) and National Justice Museum (nominated for Small Visitor Attraction of the Year) have all secured places as national finalists, following their success at the Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards, delivered by the regional tourism body, Visit Nottinghamshire, earlier this year.
The Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards play a vital role in recognising and celebrating excellence across the local visitor economy, with the winners getting the chance to be put forward to represent the city and county at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. This progression highlights the strength of Nottinghamshire’s tourism offer and ensures that the region’s top-performing businesses gain well-deserved national recognition.
The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which have championed the very best of the tourism industry for more than 35 years, celebrate quality, innovation and outstanding customer service across England’s visitor economy.
By progressing from the Visit Nottinghamshire regional awards, which have received over 100 applications this year, to the national stage, the finalists demonstrated the exceptional quality of Nottinghamshire’s tourism sector. Their selection places the county firmly among the very best destinations in England.
The finalists will now go on to compete in their respective categories at the national awards ceremony, taking place on 3 June 2026.
Megan Powell Vreeswijk, CEO of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire including Visit Nottinghamshire, said: “I am delighted to see Nottingham and Nottinghamshire represented on the national stage at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2026. Having venues such as Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham Venues and the National Justice Museum shortlisted is a testament to the diversity and quality of our visitor economy, which supports over 22,500 jobs and contributes an impressive £2.53 billion to the local economy.
At Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, we are proud to support a sector that consistently delivers outstanding experiences and plays a vital role in driving growth across the region. Congratulations to all Nottinghamshire Tourism Award entrants who have secured gold, silver and bronze awards, and we wish National Justice Museum, Nottingham Venues and Nottingham Playhouse the very best of luck in the national awards this June.”
Tom Waldron-Lynch, CEO of Nottingham Venues, said: “This is a proud moment for us all at Nottingham Venues. After winning both Business Events Venue of the Year and Hotel of the Year at the Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards in March, this feels like a brilliant next step and a real acknowledgement of the hard work our teams put in every day.
It’s been a very busy two years for Nottingham Venues. We have focused on creating a first-class team, venues and guest experience, so recognition like this means a great deal to everyone here. I am looking forward to the awards evening, and I wish our fellow Nottingham venues the very best of luck. It’s fantastic for the whole county.”
Victoria Reeves, CEO of the National Justice Museum, said: “It is a huge honour to be included in the finalists for this award and really highlights the incredible work our team does across the organisation every day. VisitEngland is a nationally and internationally recognised mark of quality, so being shortlisted for this award means so much just by itself. Congratulations to all the nominees! We can’t wait to celebrate with you all later this year.”
Posted on 17 April 2026
