Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB) has begun its annual campaign to find the best operators in the region’s tourism industry.

The deadline for the 2006 White Rose Awards, now in their 17th year, has been set for 26 May, by which time entries for the 15 categories must be submitted.

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

Photograph: The 2005 YTB winners.