A prestigious award ceremony which recognises the best of the north-east’s tourist industry has fallen victim to Covid-19.
The decision to cancel the 2020 Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards was taken yesterday, in light of the ongoing pandemic and lockdown.
It would have been the eighth year of the awards, which also act as a regional final of the Scottish Thistle Awards –an event which has likewise been cancelled this year.
Nominations had opened shortly before the Covid-19 outbreak, with the awards scheduled to take place in November.
Both the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards and The Thistle Awards will return in 2021.
Chairman of the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards, Stephen Gow, said: “It’s never an easy decision to take to cancel such a popular event, however the tourism and hospitality industry is facing exceptional challenges.
“We’re still unsure when many businesses will be able to reopen and in what format they will be permitted to operate.
“The awards will return in 2021, where we intend to fully celebrate the achievements of our whole industry, but in the meantime, our sector, like many others, needs the focus to be on recovery and resilience.”
The Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards aim to highlight businesses and individuals that help the tourism sector in the region thrive, attracting visitors to the area and ensuring best possible standards of customer service.
Last year’s winners included Seafront Cottages in Sandhaven, The Fife Arms in Braemar, Lys na Greyne in Aboyne, The Tippling House in Aberdeen, the Northern Lights Lounge at Aberdeen Airport, Signature Food Festival, The Gordon Highlanders’ Museum, Delgatie Castle in Turriff, Peterhead Prison, The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy, and The Davron Hotel in Rosehearty.
