Shetland businesses win a brace of tourism awards

Shetland enjoyed a highly successful night at the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards as two isles businesses came out on top in their respective categories.

Wild Skies Shetland, based in Unst, won an award in the ‘working together for tourism’ category at the HITA ceremony in Inverness. Shetland Seabird Tours – The Noss Boat, meanwhile, triumphed in the ‘best visitor attraction experience’ category.

A total of four islands businesses were nominated for HITA awards: popular Lerwick restaurant No.88 Kitchen and Bar was highly commended in the ‘best eatery experience’ category, won by Coll Hotel, while Chris Dyer of Garths Croft in Bressay was nominated in the ‘food tourism award’ category, won by distillery Beinn an Tuirc.

VisitScotland’s islands manager for Shetland, Steve Mathieson, said: “It’s a great result for Shetland, wonderful to see the range of businesses highlighting the diversity and quality of Shetland’s tourism offering.

“Just making the shortlist for the final is a great feat in itself, considering the numbers competing in each category, and to have two winners out of our four finalists is something special.

“Wild Skies and Shetland Seabird Tours now go on to the national final in February where we wish them every success.”

Rebecca Nason and Phil Harris of Shetland Seabird Tours, which runs boat trips around the Noss National Nature Reserve and Bressay during the summer months, said they were “truly shocked but utterly delighted to be named as the winners”.

“What an incredible accolade to have achieved and a massive thank you to #HITA2022 and everyone who helped make this happen for us, the support has been quite overwhelming.”

Jane Macaulay of Wild Skies Shetland, a charity that has developed a sky trail to showcase the marvels and enormity of the skies in the most northerly inhabited island in the UK, described the ceremony as an “extraordinary night” and an “extremely productive networking opportunity”.

Meanwhile, journalist Simon Parker – who worked with Promote Shetland on a three-minute feature film on winter in the islands – scooped the Travel Writers’ travel broadcaster of the year award at a ceremony in London’s Hammersmith this weekend.

• To learn about more things for tourists to see and do, check out our blog on 21 great reasons to visit Shetland.