DARTMOUTH Tourist Inform­ation Centre is on the crest of a wave after being voted the best in Devon.

It won gold at the sixth Devon Tourism Awards attended by some of the region’s top tourism businesses.

Dartmouth was voted top Tourist Information Service of the Year, ahead of silver prize winner Axminster TIC.

Afterwards, Angie Cairns-Sharp, chairman of Dartmouth TIC, said: ‘This is an amazing result which will help keep our wonderful staff and volunteers motivated for what will be a very eventful 2016 in Dart­mouth.

‘We are sad to see so many tourist information centres struggling for survival and the announcement of the planned closure of the award-winning centre in Torquay came as a real shock to us.

‘Funding issues remain our biggest challenge, so we are about to launch a whole new business model at Dartmouth, enabling us to continue promoting the wonderful attractions and businesses at Dartmouth, while delivering a warm welcome to visitors when they arrive in town.’

This year’s awards received 174 entries in 24 categories – an increase of six on last year.

The prize-giving, held last Thursday in association with tourism body Visit Devon, was hosted by Judi Spiers at Plymouth’s Holiday Inn.

Awards organiser Robin Barker, of Services for Tourism Ltd, Whimple, near Exeter, told the winners: ‘You are all very special. In an era of ever dwindling public sector funding, you are the industry leaders who can take Devon forward.

‘More and more it will be business people like you that must take the lead in putting Devon at the fore, ensuring it is at the forefront of what is one of the fast growing and most competitive industries in the world.’

Paul Hardingham, commercial director at sponsors Hoseasons, said: ‘We have nothing but admiration for the energy, commitment and dedication shown by this year’s award winners to making sure Devon remains a place people want to go on holiday.

‘Each and every one of them fully deserves the recognition they have received and we wish them all the best for another successful year in 2016.’

Victoria Hatfield, chairman of Visit Devon, said: ‘The quality of the visitor offering, that Devon delivers, increases year on year and this is testament to the dedication, commitment and investment from the businesses nominated in the Devon Tour­ism Awards this, and previous, years.

‘The visitor economy in Devon is worth £2.3bn to the local economy which, in turn, supports 62,451 jobs in the county. This is 12 per cent of all employment in Devon and this is why we do what we do.’

Kaywana Hall at Kingswear also won a silver award in the B&B, guest accommodation and inn of the year section of the competition, and the Royal Castle Hotel in Dartmouth took a bronze medal in the small hotel of the year category.

In the same week, accolades have gone to Dartmouth-based Coast and Country Cottages and Kingsbridge-based Toad Hall Cottages, which both have holiday properties to let in the Dartmouth area.

The Coast and Country team won the Best UK Holiday Cottage/Self Catering Booking Company (small) and Toad Hall scooped the Best Medium Self Catering Agency in the prestigious 2015 British Travel Awards.

The announcements were made at a glamorous gala awards ceremony held in London attended by around 1,000 travel industry representatives.

It is the second consecutive year that the family-owned and managed Coast and Country has won the accolade. It has also been selected a finalist for this year’s FEEFO Excellence in Customer Service Awards.

Since acquiring the company in 2001, Andrew and Karen Jones have successfully grown the business, which now markets and manages around 400 self-catering holiday cottages exclusively in Salcombe, Dart­mouth and the surrounding coast and countryside.

Andrew said: ‘Our success is due to the hard work, dedication and commitment of our team, which has grown from three to almost 40 in the past 14 years.

‘We would like to say a huge thank you to all of them, to our loyal property owners and also to the many customers who return to stay with us in this beautiful area, year after year.’

British Travel Awards’ chief executive Lorraine Barnes Burton said: ‘More than a quarter of a million consumers voted this year to determine the winners of the 2015 British Travel Awards.

‘It’s the largest awards programme in the UK and to win is a clear statement that companies are providing excellence in travel to the discerning consumer.

‘The travelling public regard the British Travel Awards winners logo as the benchmark for excellence when it comes to finding out who are the best travel companies and Coast and Country Cottages is to be congratulated on their achievement.’

James Norton, of Toad Hall, which also has offices in Polperro, Lyme Regis and the New Forest, said: ‘We’re delighted to receive this prestigious award, especially as we were up against some much, much larger agencies across the UK. Our second winner’s award in three years, with a runner-up award in between, is a real testament to our team members, who always go out of their way to make every guest’s stay as enjoyable as possible.

‘I’m delighted that the hard work has paid off and the award will help cement our reputation as the area’s largest and best agency.’

Ms Barnes Burton said: ‘Toad Hall Cottages is to be congratulated on its achievement in an awards programme that garners the opinions of the nation – these finalists and ­winners really are the best in travel.’

The British Travel Awards are the only travel industry accolades voted for exclusively by the travelling public, and the awards serve to recognise all that is great about UK travel companies.

Ms Barnes Burton added: ‘This year over 1.2 million votes were cast by consumers to ­determine the winners of the coveted British Travel Awards, making it the largest awards programme in the UK. To win is truly an ­accolade.’