CHAIRMAN of Cumbria Tourism Eric Robson has backed The Westmorland Gazette 2010 Business and Tourism Awards, which have just been launched.

The prestigious awards aim to highlight and recognise the huge number of fantastic businesses, which operate in the Cumbria and north Lancashire area.The winners will be feted at a glittering awards ceremony at the Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, on Friday, September 17.

This week Mr Robson threw his weight behind the awards.

“Our businesses deserve to be celebrated and we have some world class enterprises in the North West, “ he said. “They have had to be slick to ride out this economic downturn.

“I know from my time in the tourism sector that people who win local awards go on to pick up national awards. They are a great showcase for the industry and it doesn’t just boosts companies - it also recognises people who are running their businesses really well in difficult times.”

Mr Robson said there was always a danger in a close-knit community that people did not pay enough attention to what was on their doorstep - the business and tourism awards would help redress that.

Cumbria's visitor economy continues to make significant contribution to the broader Cumbrian economy, providing at least 22,000 full-time equivalent jobs and more than £1.1bn of expenditure annually. Cumbria Tourism has been instrumental in growing visitor numbers to the county to more than 16 million per annum.

There are several categories in the Business and Tourism Awards which recognise the top-quality services provided by the local tourism industry. They include the Bed and Breakfast of the Year, Hotel of the Year and Tourist Attraction/Tour Operator of the Year.

However, the awards - which are run in conjunction with the Northwest Development Agency - are open to firms, large, medium and small, across all sectors, including retail, agricultural, financial services, manufacturing and distribution.

We are looking for businesses or individuals who, through their endeavours, make a vital contribition to the local economy.

Two newly-elected MPs have also declared their support for the awards.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said: “My experience of awards like these is that they are very powerful things to take part in.

“I have seen in the past, through Cumbria Business Environment Network, that we have a wealth of good companies in the South Lakes. Being recognised as a good business encourages hundreds of other firms choose to step up to the mark. It gives an incentive to do things properly.”

Mr Farron was particularly enthusiastic about the Green Business award category, which aims to recognise companies which protect the environment through good working practice.

He added: “What impresses me is so many companies that don’t seem to have an environmental point to what they do - hotels and hospitality businesses - have managed to up their game and shine in this respect too.”

MP for Penrith and the Border Rory Stewart said he strongly supported the awards’ ability to recognise the achievements of businesses in Cumbria.

He added: “I think I’m particularly excited about these awards because my constituency is a unique - we have more self employed people than any other constituency in Britain and a lot of people work for small and medium size enterprises.”

It costs nothing to put your business forward for the awards (see panel below/left/right) but you must get your entries in before the closing date. Monday, July 12.