SKIPTON'S Rendezvous Hotel has won a major tourism award.

It was honoured at the National Coach Tourism Awards 2014, held at Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom and organised by trade magazine Coach Monthly.

The awards recognise excellence and innovation across coach tour operators, tourist destinations and attractions and industry suppliers.

Rendezvous was named Accommodation Provider of the Year – Individual Hotel.

The judges said the family-owned hotel was one of the most proactive hotels in the North of England and operated its own Hospitality Charter to ensure all guests were treated to the best Yorkshire hospitality at all times.

"The enthusiastic hotel team also scores well for its role in helping to promote the town of Skipton as a group friendly coach destination," they added.

The award was collected by general manager Amanda Casey in front of more than 400 tourism industry professionals.

Hotel proprietor Malcolm Weaving said: "We managed to get the Rendezvous shortlisted for this award in 2013. Rendezvous was last week voted the Accommodation Provider of the Year 2014 - Individual Hotel of which we are very proud.

"With the help of Skipton Town Manager Brett Butler and Skipton Town Council chief officer Dave Parker, we also managed to get Skipton shortlisted in the Coach Friendly Town last year and in 2014.

"We believe we have now sufficient knowledge as to how we can get Skipton further up the ladder and make the town a potential winner of the category.

"This will, of course, be dependent on whether the local authority, retailers, business owners and residents of Skipton appreciate how important tourism is to the town. In my opinion, the more visitors we can attract, the bigger benefit to local traders, the town centre and local attractions, which will subsequently make our town even more delightful for locals as well."

For full details of all the winners and finalists, visit ncta.co.uk