In addition to the Terms and Conditions that govern the competition you are asked to note the following guidelines that may help when making your submissions.

Each of the tabs on this page provides a description of the award category and an overview of the type of information the judges will be looking for within it. Simply move your cursor to the appropriate tab and click on it to see the information. Where there is a lot of information you will be able to scroll down within each panel. Each panel ends with a link to the entry form for that category.

The forms are all Word documents. If you right click on the link and select "save target as" you can save the form to your computer and complete it at your leisure. Answer all of the questions (taking care to make sure you meet the criteria for the award category) and simply email the form back to us before close of business on 20 February 2012.

We've tried to keep the entry process as simple as possible and you are asked to observe the following:

• You may enter more than one category;
• You can only enter each category once;
• Each entry must be on a separate entry form;
• Entries should be word processed using the appropriate form and must address the criteria for the relevant category;
• All entries must relate to activities undertaken between 1March 2011 and 20 February 2012
• All Accommodation entrants must be certified with NITB for a minimum of 1 year, prior to the closing date for entries;
• Responses should not exceed 500 words per question and boxes on the form can be expanded as required to fit 500 words
• Following preliminary judging a shortlist of entrants will be selected for final judging;
• If deemed appropriate anonymous visiting may take place before final judging;
• The decision of the judging panel will be final and correspondence cannot be entered into;

NOTE: Supporting materials such as visuals, press clippings, marketing materials, photographs etc should NOT be included as part of any submission. Only the entry form can be assessed. If forwarded, additional items and information will not be assessed as part of the judging process and we regret such items cannot be returned.

If you are having any problems either downloading information or sending your submissions, just contact the administrators using office@nitourismawards.org and we’ll be glad to help you or answer questions.

Entries are invited from event, festival or conference organisers (in private, voluntary or public sectors) who can demonstrate significant impact and success in attracting visitors to, and entertaining them in, Northern Ireland.
The information we’re looking for comprises:

• Key aims and objectives, of the event, festival or conference and your strategy and delivery plan;
• Innovative and enterprising aspects of the project, including the way it has been developed and delivered;
• Creative aspects of your marketing, packaging and promotion;
• Details of planning, implementation and delivery arrangements, including any partnership working;
• Evidence of market research undertaken pre- and post-event and how you have evealuated the project;
• Measures of success in visitor numbers, visitor spend and visitor feedback and benefits for the local area and/or Northern Ireland.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

Entries are invited from non-accommodation sector establishments that provide food and drink to locals and visitors alike. Entrants must demonstrate how they have created a customer-friendly eating experience and used local suppliers and ingredients reflecting the quality of Northern Ireland’s food produce. The information we’re looking for comprises:

• Your food service concept;
• Your approach to customer care and service delivery;
• How your establishment is marketed and promoted;
• The role of your staff team in delivering your food concept and quality;
• A Taste of Northern Ireland - menu choice and imaginative use of local produce;
• Evidence of market research and how you have evaluated your food operation.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

Entries are invited from hotel establishments that are committed to excellence in service, customer care and hospitality. The information we’re looking for comprises:

• How you have gone the extra mile in service, hospitality and customer care;
• Creative marketing;
• Commitment to staff training and development;
• Evidence of improvements in the quality of facilities and service linked to customer feedback, research, benchmarking and/or innovation;
• Investment in new business development opportunities;
• Evidence of market research and how you have evaluated your operation.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

This category is for serviced accommodation, excluding hotels, in Northern Ireland. Entries are invited from operators of bed & breakfasts, guesthouses and farmhouse establishments. We’re looking for operators who are committed to and can demonstrate excellence in service, customer care and hospitality. The information we’re looking for comprises:

• How your business has gone the extra mile in service, hospitality and customer care;
• Creative marketing;
• If you have staff, their role in delivering to your customers;
• Evidence of improvements in the quality of facilities and service;
• Investment in business development opportunities;
• Evidence of market research or how you have evaluated your operation.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

Entries are invited from operators of hostels, self-catering, camping and caravan establishments. We’re looking for operators who are committed to and can demonstrate excellence in service, customer care and hospitality. The information we’re looking for comprises:

• How your business has gone the extra mile in service, hospitality and customer care;
• Creative marketing;
• If you have staff, their role in delivering to your customers;
• Evidence of improvements in the quality of facilities and service linked to customer feedback. research, benchmarking and/or innovation;
• Investment in business development opportunities;
• Evidence of market research or how you have evaluated your operation.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

Entries are invited from visitor attractions and experiences – including events and tours - available on a seasonal or year round basis that can demonstrate their service excellence, customer care and hospitality as well as the quality of their presentation / interpretation. The information we’re looking for comprises:

• How your business has gone the extra mile in service, hospitality and customer care;
• Innovative and enterprising aspects of the project;
• Creative marketing;
• Commitment to staff training and development;
• Linkages with the wider tourism product;
• Measures of success - evidence of market research and your results.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

Entries are invited from organisations (in private, voluntary or public sectors) that can demonstrate the crucial role that staff play in creating happy customers or visitors - providing them with the best customer care and/or quality experience. Entrants are encouraged to provide details of training development or continuous improvement systems and processes and how these align with their business objectives.
The information we’re looking for comprises:

• Your approach to people development;
• The role of staff in delivering your business objectives;
• Evidence that staff have contributed to improvements in business performance and customer satisfaction;
• Staff skills and training delivery;
• Evidence of staff excellence and awards;
• Measures of success - evidence of market research and your results.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

Entries are invited from organisations (in private, voluntary or public sectors) that have undertaken effective marketing or sales initiatives or campaigns, with proven results that have had a positive impact on their business. Activities envisaged include one or more of the following:

promotional campaigns; collaborative marketing; press and PR; web based and/or direct marketing and sales activity.

The information we’re looking for comprises:

• A clear marketing and/or sales strategy and plan;
• How your marketing and sales activity is being implemented;
• Who are your customers, what market research have you done and how are you communicating with and selling to customers?
• Who are you partnering or collaborating with to achieve your objectives?
• Use of ICT and e-business techniques;
• Your targets and whether/how you’ve met them.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

Entries are invited from organisations that have undertaken initiatives or projects in partnership with others. These include private and public partnerships, those in same sector activities or part of the supply chain. The information we’re looking for comprises:

• Outline your initiative and how and why you instigated a partnership approach;
• How you established and developed your partner initiative;
• How you and your partners communicated effectively during the initiative;
• Demonstrate evidence of lessons learnt during the initiative for both you and your partners;
• Outline any outputs from your initiative for both you and your partners.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

Entries are invited from organisations that have undertaken new projects to improve tourism infrastructure, products or services. These can be individual projects or those delivered in partnership with other providers/bodies. The information we’re looking for comprises:

• Outline your project concept and plan including timelines, budget and key deliverables;
• How the project contributed towards the endorsement of Northern Ireland as a key tourist destination;
• How the project aimed to impact on the future of tourism in Northern Ireland;
• Evidence of new or diversified product or service development;
• Outline any project planning and evaluation techniques applied.

Right Click on this link and select "Save Target As" to download the entry form to your machine

In this category you can nominate someone who has made a significant impact on your business or organisation. This award is designed to recognise someone – a worker, manager, advisor, supplier, or other organisation or person working within that organisation - that has had a beneficial impact and made a difference to either your business, or to the success of an initiative or project with which they are associated.

You can only nominate someone to win this award if you have already entered at least one of the other NITA categories.
You can make nominations for this award using the final page of the entry form for any of the category awards noted above.

This award will be presented to an organisation, person, group or initiative that has made an outstanding contribution to the tourism and hospitality industry in Northern Ireland.

The recipient is selected by NITB and there is no entry form for this award.