The traditional attractions beat newcomers to win recognition in the BT Visit London Awards 2009, supported by the Evening Standard, now in their 6th year.
London Zoo and the National Maritime Museum (NMM) are both up for the sought-after Visitor Attraction of the Year Award, along with the home of Charles Darwin, the Imperial War Museum, Whitechapel Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery.
The NMM is also in line to win the Best Tourism Experience and Outstanding Customer Service awards.
London Zoo and the Natural History Museum, which opens its new Darwin Centre exhibition space next month, have been nominated for Sustainable Tourism and other awards.
Arsenal football club also won three nominations, including Business Venue of the Year.
Others in the running for awards include the organisers of the World Tewnty20 cricket tournament and the Redbridge Cycling Centre for its Olympic handover from Beijing.
In Case You Missed It
The judges will announce the winners in 14 categories, including best large and small hotels and “best gastronimic experience”, at the Westfield shopping centre in November.
Sally Chatterjee, interim CEO Visit London said: “The BT Visit London Awards celebrate London’s world-class tourism offer and recognise and reward outstanding achievement within the industry.
“I would like to thank all the businesses that submitted entries, which have been of the highest calibre and made the short-listing process was very challenging. I congratulate all of the finalists and wish them the best of luck.”
Next month, Visit London will give Londoners and tourists the chance to nominate and vote for their own favourites in the People’s Choice Awards.
The 2009 Visit London Awards shortlist:
Accessible Tourism Award
1. Arsenal Football Club
2. Direct Enquiries Ltd
3. Southbank Centre
4. St Martin-in-the-Fields
5. The British Postal Museum & Archive
6. Greenwich and Docklands Festival
Sustainable Tourism Award
1. Natural History Museum
2. Cavendish Hotel
3. ExCeL London
4. Cavendish Conference Venues
5. ZSL London Zoo
6. Earls Court & Olympia
Business Venue of the Year
1. Congress Centre
2. ExCeL London
3. Chelsea Football Club
4. The Natural History Museum
5. Cavendish Conference Venues
6. Emirates Stadium
7. Royal College of Physicians
8. SEA LIFE London Aquarium
Corporate Event of the Year
1. Maybourne Hotel Group – Event Organisers Party at the Berkeley 6th April 2009
2. Powwow Events – Crowe Horwath International Annual Meeting 2008
3. ExCeL London – The London Summit; Growth, Stability & Jobs
4. Vinopolis – The Apprentice Final 2009
5. The Brewery – Glaston-Brewery
6. Havering Community Safety Partnership – Havering Nightlife Awards 2009
Consumer Event of the Year
1. National Boat Show – London International Boat Show
2. Hard Rock Café – Hard Rock Calling
3. Westminster City Council – West End Live
4. London Borough of Enfield Council – New River Festival
5. Winter Wonderland
6. Greenwich and Docklands Festival – Greenwich + Docklands International Festival
Sports Tourism Award
1. Chelsea Football Club – Chelsea Football Club Stadium Tours and Museum
2. Keith Prowse – The Ashes 2009 Series
3. Redbridge Cycling Centre – Inspir8tion – Olympic Handover with Beijing
4. Arsenal Football Club, Emirates Stadium – Emirates Cup 2008
5. Sandown Park Racecourse
6. England and Wales Cricket Board – ICC World Twenty20 England 2009
Marketing/PR Campaign of the Year
1. Westfield – Launch of Westfield London
2. Science Museum – Science Museum Lates
3. Natural History Museum – Darwin Exhibition
4. Luchford APM – Re-launch of Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel
5. The British Library – The Ramayana: Love and Valour in India’s Great Epic
6. aka Promotions Ltd – Sister Act – A Divine Musical Comedy
7. Historic Royal Palaces: Tower of London & Hampton Court Palace – Henry 500
8. ZSL London Zoo – Animal Adventure
Best Gastronomic Experiences
1. St Paul’s Cathedral operated by Harbour and Jones
2. The Grove – Colette’s Restaurant
3. Paternoster Chop House
4. Galvin at Windows Restaurant
5. Vinopolis
6. BINGHAM
Outstanding Customer Service Award
1. The Cavendish Hotel – Operations Team
2. Victoria and Albert Museum – Mick Mavani
3. BBC Shows and Tours – BBC Shows and Tours Team
4. Royal College of Physicians – Meetings & Events team
5. Madame Tussauds London – Operations team
6. National Maritime Museum – Nicholas Babbs
Budget Accommodation of the Year
1. London Heathrow Premier Inn
2. Palmers Lodge Boutique Backpackers
3. Generator Hostel London
4. Think Apartments Limited
5. Premier Inn London King’s Cross St. Pancras
6. YHA London St Pancras
Large Hotel of the Year
1. The Athenaeum
2. The Milestone Hotel
3. Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel
4. InterContinental London Park Lane
5. St Martins Lane, A Morgans Original
6. The Langham, London
Small hotel/B&B of the Year
1. The Lord Milner London
2. SACO Holborn/SACO Serviced Apartments
3. The Colonnade
4. Bingham
5. 196 Bishopsgate Serviced Apartments
Visitor Attraction of the Year
1. The Home of Charles Darwin
2. ZSL London Zoo
3. Imperial War Museum
4. Whitechapel Gallery
5. National Portrait Gallery
6. National Maritime Museum
Best Tourism Experience
1. Way2GoGuides
2. The Big Bus Company
3. Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms
4. BBC Tours
5. The London Dungeon
6. National Maritime Museum
subscribers.