Entries are now open for the Visit Cheshire Tourism Awards 2027. Organised by Marketing Cheshire, the awards celebrate the businesses and people powering Cheshire and Warrington's £4.32bn visitor economy. This year, eighteen categories are available which recognise the region’s best attractions, hotels and B&Bs, restaurants, pubs and events.
The Cheshire Rising Star is a new award and it honours a 16-to-24-year-old who has shown outstanding commitment to building skills, advancing their career, and contributing to the region’s tourism sector. This year’s awards are sponsored by Staff86.
The call for entries follows a record-breaking 2026 ceremony. Held in March at Walton Hall and Gardens, 350 guests watched former Emmerdale star Kevin Fletcher and his wife Liz, stars of ITV’s Fletcher’s Family Farm, crown the winners.
Highlights included BeWILDerwood Cheshire taking Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, and Chester Zoo claiming two awards: Regenerative Tourism and Team of the Year. The zoo welcomed more than 2.1 million visitors in 2025, its highest attendance ever. The 2027 ceremony will take place early next year with the host venue announced soon.
Select category winners will go on to represent Cheshire and Warrington at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. Our region’s Unsung Hero winner Jayne Chapman from Tatton Park is a finalist for this year’s national awards, which will take place on June 3 at Aerospace Bristol. The award recognises individuals working in tourism who go above and beyond in their roles.
Jayne, Manager of Tatton Park’s Farm, has worked at Tatton Park for 35 years. She started as a farm assistant before becoming manager of a team of five farm assistants and 36 volunteers in 2009.
Her passion for animals and education has shaped the farm into a vibrant, inclusive space that welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Under her guidance, the Farm has become a hub for learning, wellbeing, and community engagement.
She is also a champion of rare breeds, playing a key role in Tatton Park’s Rare Breed animal adoption scheme and working with the British Breeds Revival Trust to help save the endangered Native Jersey Cow through an innovative embryo transplant project.
She says: “I want visitors to go home with a love for the animals and the outdoors.”
Jamie Christon, Chair of Marketing Cheshire and CEO of Chester Zoo, said: “We are thrilled to open for entries to the Visit Cheshire Tourism Awards 2027 – a standout celebration on the region’s calendar.
“Cheshire and Warrington are home to many of the best attractions, leisure and hospitality businesses in the country and these awards are all about recognising innovation, excellence and sheer hard work of the people behind them.
“We are also delighted to confirm a new Rising Star category which will honour exceptional young talent in our region.
“Many of our past winners report boosted customer numbers, improved team morale, and recruitment benefits, so get working on your entries now.”
