MARGATE'S NEW TURNER CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM WINS THE BRITISH GUILD OF TRAVEL WRITERS' TOP TOURISM AWARD

The British Guild of Travel Writers has presented its top 2011 Globe Award for an outstanding tourism project to the new Turner Contemporary Museum in Margate, Kent, and its Lifetime Achievement Award to Tricia Barnett, director of the charity Tourism Concern.

Both awards, plus a number of other tourism and media awards, were presented before an audience of more than 300 top travel industry and media leaders at a gala dinner held last night (Sunday, 6 November) at London's elegant Savoy Hotel.

The Dinner was sponsored by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office.

Globe Award and Best UK Tourism Project

The award for Turner Contemporary (www.turnercontemporary.org), nominated by Guild member David Prest, was presented to Victoria Pomery, the museum's Director, by Guild chairman Roger Bray. The museum also won the top award in the Best UK Tourism Project category.

The Museum was designed by Sir David Chipperfield, named after artist JMW Turner, who had associations with Margate, cost£19.6 million, and opened in April, 2011. The museum features exhibitions by global art figures as well as curated group shows and potential blockbusters (a major exhibition of work by Turner is scheduled for 2012). It also has performance space, a shop and galleries for education work and, according to Prest, has helped a once run-down seaside town “come alive with cafés, arty boutiques, retro-shops and old fishing shacks on the harbour which have been transformed into studios”.

The first highly commended award in the Best UK Tourism Project category went to Cumbria's Roman Army Museum and Vindolanda Project, which reopened in March 2011 after a £6.3 million redevelopment. Sited near Hadrian's Wall, one of Britain's first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the award was nominated by Gillian Thornton and accepted by Patricia Birley, Director of the Vindolanda Trust.

The second highly commended award is this category went to the Welsh Highland Railway, which this spring opened its full 25 mile length, making it Britain's longest heritage railways. Nominated by Roger Thomas, the award was accepted by Nigel Burbidge, finance director of Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways.

Best European Tourism Project

The top Best European Tourism Project award went to the 11th-century Old Synagogue in Erfurt, Germany. Undiscovered for centuries, the Old Synagogue was reopened in March 2011 as a museum of extraordinary medieval artefacts. Nominated by Guild member Paul Wade, the award was accepted by Bärbel Grönegres, CEO of Thueringen Tourism.

The first highly commended award in this category was Italy's Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site, which consists of five Messner Mountain Museums, the most recent – in a restored castle – opened in July, 2011. Nominated by Guild member Adele Evans, the award was accepted by Stefania Gatta, Senior Press Office of the Italian State Tourist Board in the UK.

The second highly commended award went to Rome's Maxxi, Museum of 21st Century Arts, opened in May 2010 as Italy's first national museum dedicated to contemporary creativity. Nominated by Natasha Blair, the award was accepted by Stefania Gatta, Senior Press Office of the Italian State Tourist Board in the UK. On behalf of Maxxi.

Best Overseas Tourism Project

The top award in the Best Overseas Tourism Project – went to Bogotá Bike Tours, a small Bogotá, Colombia, company established in 2009 to encourage tourists to explore the city's charming plazas, green parks and colonial-era centre by bike. It also takes visitors into the city's poorest parts to meet 'displaced domestic migrants' whom the company helps support through community outreach projects. Nominated by Sarah Woods, the award was accepted by Daniela Camacho Salguero, a leading member of the Colombian community here in London.

The first highly commended award in this category went to Amtrak Virginia's Follow the American Civil War by Rail programme. Launched this year – the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the American Civil War and the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Amtrak rail network – its aim is to encourage visitors to tour historic areas by rail rather than by less environmentally-friendly motor car. Nominated by Mary Moore Mason, the award was accepted by Craig White, Amtrak's Senior Director Travel Industry Sales.

The second highly commended award went to Boston, Massachusetts' Museum of Fine Arts, which in November of last year opened its new eco-friendly Art of the Americas wing featuring 5,000 works, double the previous number, in 53 new galleries. Nominated by Kathy Arnold, the award was accepted by Larry Meehan, Vice President (media and tourism) of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Tricia Barnett, Director of Tourism Concern, Given the Lifetime Achievement Award

In announcing Ms Barnett's award, the evening's co-presenter Guild member Alison Rice said: “If it hadn’t been for Tourism Concern and its director’s energy, courage and wise guidance, many wrongs in the tourism world would have remained unexposed. Tricia Barnett has influenced the thinking of governments and tourism companies, and changed for the better the lives of some of the poorest people on earth.”

The British Guild of Travel Writers, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010, has nearly 280 members representing the best in travel writing, editing, broadcasting and photography. They voted on the awards based upon such criteria as their tourism appeal, uniqueness, eco-friendliness and contribution to the surrounding community.

Note: The awards made to Guild members for excellence in the field of travel journalism will be announced in a separate press release.

For further information and photographs: Contact the BGTW Secretariat –
020 8144 8713, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

7/11/2011