Terms and Conditions of Entry
All entries are subject to the following Terms and Conditions:
Eligibility:
Any tourism or hospitality operator either trading with or located in Northern Ireland whether owned privately, publicly or by the community and no matter what its size, is eligible to make a submission and be considered for an award under the category applied for. For the purpose of clarification, this includes multi-national companies and their subsidiaries, limited companies, partnerships, franchises, sole traders, non government associations, community organisations, registered charities, government departments, agencies and bodies. All accommodation entrants must be certified with NITB for a minimum of one year prior to the closing date for entries.
Award Categories:
Organisations may enter and be considered for more than one category; however, a separate submission must be submitted for each award category entered.You can only submit one entry for each category.
Confidentiality:
Information supplied by applicants will be kept confidential. We do not publish the names of companies, organisations or their products that have not been shortlisted, nor will we reproduce any information from your entry. Therefore if you enter the awards, but are not a winner or commended, this will remain confidential. In addition, entrants may mark any commercially sensitive information contained in their entry as ‘not for publication'. The organisers reserve the right to use information contained in the shortlisted and winning entries (apart from contact details and any content marked not for publication) for subsequent publicity, promotions and other activities relating to the awards program.
Submissions and Evaluation Process:
All entries should be structured to address the judging criteria listed on the entry form for each category. Incomplete entries will not be considered. NITB reserves the right to confer with colleagues within NITB and other agencies and may invite feedback/references from other relevant sources. For the purpose of clarification this excludes other operators working in the industry. Entries will be judged on the basis of the information provided in the completed entry form, your submission and field exercises.
Methodology:
All entries are evaluated in accordance with the award key criteria specified for each category. These will variously align with the brand values and behaviours that can be viewed on the NITB web site (http://www.nitb.com/visitorinspired/index.aspx) and against key best practice criteria – these are Visionary leadership & management effectiveness; Service excellence - customer centred standards & measures; Operational standards – more than just quality assurance; Marketing and sales excellence; Networking and partnership; Valuing, motivating & developing staff; Quality and continuous improvement culture; Innovation and new product or service development; Support the NI brand; Corporate social responsibility; Environmental and/or sustainability criteria.
Judging Panel:
The judging panel is made up of an experienced and qualified panel of business and tourism experts. There is a three stage evaluation process – technical evaluation leading to a shortlist, assessment of shortlisted submissions and, if appropriate a mystery shopping visit. NITB and the judges reserve the right to visit applicants announced or unannounced. By making a submission entrants are agreeing to comply with this condition. The judges are bound by a strict confidentiality agreement and are required to declare any conflict of interest in entries over which they deliberate and to stand aside from deliberations concerning those entries.
Business Benefits:
All entrants will be entitled to receive feedback on the quality of their submission. All entrants will be entitled to purchase places at the awards gala, subject to availability. Winners and commended submissions will be entitled to use the Award on promotional and advertising material, specifying the year of the award.
Award Winners and Commended:
NITB reserves the right to make awards to more than one winner in any category, not to be restricted by the number of commended entrants listed or, if the quality or number of entrants under any category is inadequate, not to make an award in any specific category.
Press and Publicity:
NITB expects to organises a comprehensive PR and publicity campaign around the event and this may feature short listed entrants. NITB reserves the right to publicise winning entries and by entering the competition you are agreeing to take part in any such publicity. All PR and publicity leading up to the awards event and for 3 weeks afterward will be managed solely by NITB. By entering this competition you agree not to undertake promotional activity until 3 weeks after the gala event. This is to enable NITB to coordinate a strategic approach designed to maximise coverage and to afford recognition to award category sponsors where appropriate.
Awards:
Award winners, highly commended and commended entrants within each category are honoured with a certificate and marketing material which includes a customised logo in recognition of their achievement. Subject to usage guidelines the logo can be used under licence from NITB on all marketing and promotional material.
Final Decisions:
The decisions of the judging panel, confirmed by NITB, are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
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