Venues competing for honours at the 2026 West Midlands Tourism Awards have been revealed, with 40 of the region’s best visitor-facing businesses shortlisted in 14 different categories.
Now in their sixth year, the West Midlands Tourism Awards celebrate the region’s best accommodation; business, cultural and sporting event venues; food and drink settings; and visitor and heritage attractions. They are organised and funded by the West Midlands Growth Company, which leads the region’s Destination Development Partnership.
Visitor economy organisations across the West Midlands – from Birmingham to Brierley Hill, Cosford to Coventry, Solihull to Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick to Wolverhampton – will attend a special celebration of tourism next spring.
The finalists in two further award categories will be announced in December, the Tourism Event / Festival of the Year, and a new prize given to recognise an individual who has made an Outstanding Contribution to Tourism.
Regional winners will automatically qualify for the national VisitEngland Awards, which champions the best in England’s tourism industry.
Andrew Lovett OBE, Chair of the West Midlands Tourism & Hospitality Advisory Board, said, “The West Midlands Tourism Awards is one of my favourite dates in the diary – an opportunity each year to celebrate and honour the best people and businesses, which make visiting our great region so memorable. Awards provide a big boost to businesses in a competitive market where economic headwinds can be substantial. As Chief Executive of the Black Country Living Museum, I have seen at first hand the positive impact of winning a regional and national Tourism Award, bringing a new wave of attention for the museum and our fabulous staff among visitors and media.”
2025 has been a momentous year for tourism in the West Midlands. In July, the global spotlight was on the region as more than 250,000 culture, sport and food fans visited for high-profile events including Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning; Test Match cricket between England and India; and the Godiva Festival. As a result, the West Midlands recorded the largest increase in hotel occupancy (6%) across the whole of England compared to 12 months earlier.
For more information about the West Midlands’ tourism offer log on to www.visitbirmingham.com.
