We're thrilled to announce that our luxury walking and EBike cycling holidays have been been announced as one of the final three contenders in the Ethical, Responsible, Sustainable Tourism category at the Visit England Awards for Excellence.
The prestigious national awards recognise “the very best of the country’s tourism industry, celebrating quality, innovation, best practice and exceptional customer service.”
After winning the Leicestershire Promotions Tourism and Hospitality Award for Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable tourism, the business joined regional winners from throughout the country, to be judged by a panel of tourism industry experts. The judges decided the three national finalists in each category and will announce who has won gold, silver and bronze at an awards ceremony at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, on June 7th. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour are themselves one of the national finalists, in the Large Visitor Attraction category.
Commenting on the Awards for Excellence, VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said, “This impressive list of finalists demonstrates the innovation and excellence thriving across England’s tourism industry. The quality and number of applications also highlights the outstanding range of products and experiences on offer for both domestic and international visitors. We wish the finalists the very best of luck.”
National Forest EBike Holidays founder and Managing Director, Sue Jerham said, “We’re thrilled that our EBike cycling and walking holidays have received such a prestigious accolade. We’re based in the National Forest, which is at the forefront of sustainable tourism. It was therefore natural for us to put responsible tourism at the heart of our business from the very start.”
National Forest EBike Holidays has implemented initiatives such as a 5% discount for guests arriving by train and donating £10 from every booking towards the upkeep of the National Forest. "The National Forest is still undiscovered by mass tourism, and we're proud to help showcase just how much there is to experience in the area. Guests leave inspired by how quickly an industrial landscape can be changed and amazed at how much there is to explore in the area," said Jerham. "Ditching the car, to explore by bike or on foot is the perfect way to discover the ever-changing countryside."
Leicestershire's regional judges said, “Our judges agreed that it would be hard to find a more ethical, responsible and sustainable business. The business offers a low carbon, sustainable experience totally in keeping with their natural surroundings.”
Additional local finalists
Three Leicestershire businesses have reached the national finals. The other finalists are:
Imago Venues in Loughborough for the Business Events Venue of the Year category
Brook Meadow in Market Harborough for the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year category
Popular National Forest attraction, The National Memorial Arboretum has reached the final 3 in the Business Events Venue category.
Award Winning EBike and Walking Holidays
National Forest Ebike Holidays is an award winning, family business, offering luxury, self-guided EBike and walking holidays in and around the National Forest region of the UK. Guests can start their holiday any day of the week, all year. The holidays are designed to encourage slow travel. We keep mileage low, making our EBike and walking holidays perfect for gentle adventurers and leaving plenty of time to connect with nature and explore the many sights and experiences along the way. We love signposting some of the fabulous local woodland experiences, including bee keeping, Forest Bathing and woodland crafts. We move guests' luggage between hotels, leaving them free to explore the region at their own pace and in their own private group. Our guests can expect fabulous accommodation each night. We select the best possible small luxury B&Bs, delightful country inns and small boutique hotels. Often our accommodation providers have their own green tourism accreditations and awards. All have a love of locally-sourced, seasonal food – it will be home-grown, reared or baked in many cases. Unlike many cycling and walking holidays, our routes are circular to limit the need for additional transportation. In most instances, there is always a local pub or restaurant for guests to enjoy a delightful evening meal, without needing to take a taxi. As a small family company, we specialise in offering guests a very personal service, with holidays tailored to suit guest's specific needs or interests. We meet every guest and personalise holidays to suit individual guest requirements. And of course, we're on hand should a guest need a helping hand during their holiday.
Location – We are centrally located in the UK's National Forest, which spans the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. The region is easily reached by both train and car. The National Forest recently celebrated the planting of the 9 millionth tree – a true success story for regeneration.
The National Forest region
Straddling Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, The National Forest is one of England's most exciting and ambitious regeneration projects. The area was once full of of coal mines, opencast and clay pits. The last 30 years has seen 200 square miles transformed from black to green, completely changing the landscape and lives of local people. Miners have become forest guardians and forest schools are common place for children. Some of the UK's most productive mines are now filled with trees and wildlife. The 9 millionth tree was planted in 2021 and the region has gone from less than 6% to over 20% tree coverage.