Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB) is calling for entries for its 15th annual White Rose Awards, to recognise the best of the best in the region’s tourism industry.

Operators have until 21 May to enter their business for the 14 awards, which are designed to recognise excellence in tourism. The winners in 11 of the categories will automatically be entered for the national Excellence in England awards, run by VisitEngland.

The awards are open to both members and non-members of the YTB and include hotel of the year, visitor attraction of the year, best tourist information centre and best newcomer to tourism awards.

YTB chief executive, David Andrews, said: “Tourism is a highly competitive industry and customer expectations are getting higher and higher. It’s imperative that our tourism operators continually improve the quality of their tourism product to ensure that the region can effectively compete in this global market.”

Last week, minister for sport and tourism, Richard Caborn, gave the keynote speech at the 10th Yorkshire Tourism Conference, organised by the YTB.

Caborn said: “Yorkshire’s buoyant tourist economy is testament to industry determination and our rich and varied visitor appeal. We’ve got something for everyone, from state of the art attractions to breathtaking scenery from historic architecture to classical culture.

“I’m calling on the industry to grow this important market even further. By working in partnership to drive up quality, improve staff skills and embrace new technology we can bring even greater economic benefits to this region.” Details: yorkshiretouristboard.net