Birds of Poole Harbour took the top prize, Nothe Fort and Summer Lodge won gold, and every winner and finalist is listed here. Updated November 2026.

The winners of the 2026 Dorset Tourism Awards were named at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth on Thursday 22 October. Birds of Poole Harbour took winner of winners, the top prize of the night, after gold for regenerative tourism and, for its Poole Harbour osprey cruises, gold for active and learning experience. The full winners list is below, followed by the finalists as they were announced in September.

The awards drew 131 completed entries this year, up more than 22% on last year. “It is wonderful to see so many Dorset businesses recognising the value of entering,” awards director Nell Barrington said when the entry figures were announced in June. The full finalist list is on the awards website; locations below are as the organisers give them.

The 2026 winners

Gold winners in each category, as the organisers list them:

  • Winner of winners: Birds of Poole Harbour, Wareham
  • Accessible and inclusive tourism: Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth
  • Active and learning experience: Poole Harbour Osprey Cruises, Birds of Poole Harbour
  • Business events venue: Lighthouse, Poole
  • Cafe or tearoom: The Upwey Wishing Well Tea Room and Water Gardens, Weymouth
  • Camping and caravanning park: South Lytchett Manor Caravan & Camping Park, Poole
  • Dog friendly business: South Lytchett Manor Caravan & Camping Park, Poole
  • Glamping business: The Old Forge, Compton Abbas
  • Holiday park: Bowleaze Cove Holiday Park & Spa, Weymouth
  • Hotel: Summer Lodge Hotel, Evershot
  • Innovative employer: Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth
  • International tourism: Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, Dorchester
  • Large visitor attraction: Nothe Fort, Weymouth
  • New tourism business: Coastal Vibes Cruises, Weymouth
  • Pub: Brace of Pheasants, Dorchester
  • Regenerative tourism: Birds of Poole Harbour, Wareham
  • Restaurant and casual dining: St Tropez Restaurant and Club, Poole
  • Self catering accommodation: Greenwood Grange, Dorchester
  • Small visitor attraction: Dorset Adventure Park, Purbeck
  • Tourism event or festival: Inside Out Dorset 2025, Activate Performing Arts
  • Wedding venue: Abbots Court, Blandford Forum
  • Wellness and spa experience: Mellulah Yoga Retreats, Evershot
  • Unsung hero: Callum Atkins, St Tropez Lounge and Club
  • Outstanding contribution to Dorset tourism: David Bailey

Silver went to, among others, Dorset Museum & Art Gallery (large visitor attraction, and accessible and inclusive tourism), Ulwell Holiday Park at Swanage, The Priory at Wareham, Peppina Sicilian Bakery at Poundbury and Bournemouth Writing Festival. Corfe Castle took bronze for large visitor attraction and Swanage Carnival shared bronze for events. The organisers’ page carries every silver, bronze and commended name. We have a separate report on Dorset Museum’s three awards.

The finalists, as announced in September

Weymouth and Portland

  • Nothe Fort, run by Weymouth Civic Society, large visitor attraction of the year
  • Bowleaze Cove Holiday Park & Spa, holiday park of the year
  • Coastal Vibes Cruises, Ringstead Bay Camping and Southside Funfair, three of the four finalists for new tourism business of the year
  • The Upwey Wishing Well Tea Room and Water Gardens, cafe or tearoom of the year
  • Our Place in Portland, self catering accommodation of the year
  • Bagwell Farm Touring Park at Chickerell, camping and caravanning park of the year

Dorchester and the west

  • Dorset Museum & Art Gallery is shortlisted in three categories: accessible and inclusive tourism, international tourism, and large visitor attraction
  • The King’s Arms, Dorchester, and Summer Lodge Hotel at Evershot, both hotel of the year
  • Greenwood Grange, near Dorchester, in three categories: dog friendly business, international tourism and self catering
  • The Brace of Pheasants, pub of the year
  • Peppina Sicilian Bakery at Poundbury, restaurant and casual dining
  • Cherries Abbey Farm at Abbotsbury, cafe or tearoom of the year
  • In Lyme Regis, Fossilwise’s fossil walks and Lyme RIB Rides, which is also up for new tourism business
  • Golden Cap Holiday Park at Chideock and Monkton Wyld Holiday Park at Charmouth
  • West Bay Discovery Centre at Bridport, small visitor attraction

Purbeck

  • Corfe Castle, run by the National Trust, large visitor attraction
  • The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life and Dorset Adventure Park, both small visitor attraction
  • Kingston Country Courtyard near Corfe Castle, in three categories: business events venue, regenerative tourism and wedding venue
  • Birds of Poole Harbour, whose osprey cruises are up for active and learning experience, and the charity itself for regenerative tourism
  • The Priory at Wareham, hotel of the year
  • Ulwell Holiday Park, holiday park of the year
  • Swanage Carnival and Swanage Folk Festival, two of the four finalists for tourism event or festival of the year

North and east Dorset

  • The Grosvenor Arms at Shaftesbury, restaurant and casual dining
  • Abbots Court at Blandford Forum, wedding venue of the year
  • Stock Gaylard Estate at Sturminster Newton and The Old Forge at Compton Abbas, the two glamping finalists
  • Museum of East Dorset in Wimborne, accessible and inclusive tourism and small visitor attraction
  • Merley House Events at Wimborne, business events venue and wedding venue

Businesses in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole compete in the same county-wide awards, and several are shortlisted alongside the names above, including the ceremony’s own venue, the Marsham Court Hotel.

The night

The ceremony ran at the Marsham Court Hotel on 22 October. Several awards were announced only on the night: innovative employer, outstanding contribution to Dorset tourism, wellness and spa experience, unsung hero and winner of winners.

The shortlist lands in a busy month for the county’s visitor economy. Dorset’s first Destination Management Plan was launched at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery on 9 September, a ten-year framework for growing year-round tourism jointly funded by Dorset and BCP councils.

What it means for you

The winners list doubles as a judged list of days out, meals and stays across the county, picked from 131 entries. If you run a tourism business, the organisers announce the next round of entries on the awards website. For ideas closer to home, see our guide to things to do in Dorset.

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