The launch for this year’s Destination Management Board (DMB) Tourism Awards took place on Tuesday at Nusara Thai Poole.

Partners, sponsors, previous winners and industry professionals gathered for an evening of drinks, canapés and networking, complemented by music from Callum Hooker of Southern Entertainment Services.

The event marked the official opening of entries for the 2024 awards, with Richard Wade, general manager of More Bus, announcing the company’s continued support as main sponsor for a second consecutive year.

“Morebus is delighted to be sponsoring the DMB Tourism Awards and promoting excellence across our region”, said Richard.

“There are many fantastic businesses in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) area offering great things to locals and tourists alike.

“Tourism is big part of the local economy and by seeking continual improvement we can only enhance the quality of the experiences available to be sampled, encouraging longer stays and repeat visits. Our role at Morebus is to connect this vast array of venues.

“Bus fares are currently capped at £2 per single journey thanks to a subsidy from UK government, so many of the high quality venues can be reached in an affordable and sustainable way.”

Andy Lennox, chair of the DMB, unveiled the fresh new look and logo for the awards.

“I’m pleased to see more people than ever coming together across BCP for the good of tourism in the area, and the awards are a significant part of this effort”, he added.

Tim Seward, returning for a third year to deliver the awards, introduced the various partners and sponsors for 2024, along with the announcement of 19 voting categories.

As well as many old favourites, two new categories have been introduced – Tourism Business of the Year and Customer Service of the Year, which will be open for public voting after the entry deadline.

The Eating Out category has also been split into Restaurant of the Year and Eating Out Experience (Casual Dining), based on feedback from previous years.

Entries for the 2024 awards are now open, with applications and nominations closing on Sunday 6 July.

Nominations and applications are open to any business in BCP and the surrounding areas.

The finalists announcement event is scheduled for Thursday 12 September at the Captains Club in Christchurch.

This year’s final awards gala ceremony will see several exciting changes, including a shift from its traditional Thursday night slot to a Friday and a move to a new venue, the Hilton Hotel.

The awards ceremony will be held on Friday 8 November 2024, followed by an after-party at the Level 8 Sky Bar.

Andy Brennan will return to lead the finalists and awards ceremony nights.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for some categories, offering a chance for businesses to gain visibility and support excellence in the tourism industry.

The 19 categories for the 2024 DMB Tourism Awards are:

• Large Hotel Award sponsored by The Coffee Bean Company
• Small Hotel Award
• Self Catering Award
• Take Away Experience Award
• Attraction of the Year Award
• Responsible, Ethical & Sustainable Tourism Award sponsored by Waste Management Facilities
• Contribution to BCP Tourism Award
• Education Award
• Night Life Experience Award sponsored by Alliance South
• Eating Out Experience Award sponsored by Comax
• Cafe /Tearoom Award sponsored by BH Area Hospitality Association
• Team of the Year Award
• Restaurant of the Year sponsored by Harvest
• Industry Support Award sponsored by Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce
• Event of the Year Award sponsored by More Bus
• Business Engagement Award
• Rising Star Award sponsored by Fired Up Collective
• Tourism Business of the Year – voting after nominations
• Best Customer Service of the Year Award – voting after nominations

For more information about the awards and how to enter, visit dmb-tourismawards.co.uk