Revealed alongside one of the company’s iconic Azuma trains at Newcastle Central Station, the partnership with LNER will help shine a light on the incredible tourism and hospitality businesses that are competing across 19 categories at the awards in March.
It further cements the train operator’s commitment to the North East following December’s introduction of an additional hourly train between Newcastle, York and London King’s Cross, with faster journey times. The timetable uplift sees LNER services increase from two to three trains per hour in each direction to and from Newcastle, providing more seats on the busiest part of the route.
LNER recruited hundreds of additional colleagues, from drivers to onboard crews and station teams in preparation for December’s route-wide timetable change – a third of whom are based in the North East.
The awards, now in their 24th year, will now officially be known as the Destination North East England Tourism Awards with LNER.
We are delighted to be supporting these prestigious awards, which celebrate the very best of the region’s tourism industry. We recognise how vital tourism and attracting visitors are for the local economy. We are proud to play our part in connecting people, places and experiences. Our high-speed intercity services are one of the fastest, most environmentally friendly ways to travel.
It is fantastic to be partnering with such an iconic and well-respected brand like LNER as we come together to celebrate our amazing visitor economy. LNER and their fellow sponsors play a huge part in helping us welcome over 69 million visitors to the region every year, and it is great to see their continued investment in good jobs for our people and increased connectivity. As the region embarks on an exciting new chapter for the visitor economy, with expanded regional capacity to deliver our growth targets for the first time in over a decade, we are incredibly fortunate to have the support of our partners and supporters.
As the region embarks on an exciting new chapter for the visitor economy, with expanded regional capacity to deliver our growth targets for the first time in over a decade, we are incredibly fortunate to have the support of our partners and supporters”
LNER joins a number of leading businesses that help to make the event at Newcastle’s Civic Centre a reality, including longtime corporate sponsors Newcastle College, whose students will once again have the opportunity to gain valuable, real-world experience by working the event alongside industry professionals.
Global travel platform Tripadvisor have also come onboard for the first time as venue sponsors. They’re joined by event sponsors Muckle LLP, JC Events and Taste of Northumberland.
Each of the 19 categories are also kindly sponsored by some of the North East’s most respected brands and organisations, including fellow rail operators Lumo and Northern Rail. Other sponsors include Eldon Square, Nation Radio, Different Narrative, North East Screen, the North East Hotels Association, Allies Group/Luxe Magazine, South Tyneside Council and the North East Combined Authority.
The region’s three Local Visitor Economy Partnerships, NewcastleGateshead Initiative, Visit Northumberland and Visit County Durham continue to support the awards as part of the Destination North East England partnership. The awards are delivered by Destination North East England on behalf of the region.
The awards will once again raise money for a local charity, with Blaydon-based Feeding Families selected as this year’s beneficiaries. Helping to tackle food insecurity with dignity and compassion, the charity works across the region to bring people together in shared action to understand root causes and reduce isolation to help people and families struggling to get by.
We’re incredibly honoured to be the chosen charity beneficiary of this year’s North East England Tourism Awards. While the event celebrates the very best of our region, many families are facing the pressure of rising food and living costs. The support of the tourism sector will make a real difference to families experiencing food insecurity across the North East. It’s powerful to see such a successful industry stand alongside its communities when they need it most
Last year, almost £4,000 was raised for the North East Autism Society with organisers hoping to smash last year’s total.
Organised in association with the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, winners from the region’s ceremony will go through to compete in the national finals in June 2026.
The region’s awards programme continues to attract the highest number of entries out of all of the official VisitEngland-aligned awards programmes in the country, demonstrating the sheer depth and breadth of quality tourism and hospitality businesses in North East England.
Sponsorship of the awards sends a powerful message to the thousands of visitor economy businesses who work tirelessly to cater for the 69 million visitors who venture here every year, at a time of increasingly difficult trading conditions for many in the sector.
Tickets to the awards on 19th March 2026, which welcomes over 450 guests to the Civic Centre’s banqueting hall, are on sale now, priced at £62 + VAT per person. This year’s event is set to be the biggest and most ambitious in its history with a stunning orchestral performance of North Eastern music icons planned and a few surprises thrown in to reflect a year gone by in the visitor economy.
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