The Visit Pembrokeshire Croeso Awards have experienced a significant increase in applications for the 2026 awards ceremony.
Applications increased by a third on submissions for the 2024 Croeso Awards. Organisers say the rise highlights the continued strength, diversity and ambition of Pembrokeshire's tourism and hospitality sector.
The Croeso Awards will return to the Atrium at Pembrokeshire College on 29 October 2026, celebrating excellence across the county's visitor economy while continuing to invest in the next generation of hospitality professionals.
The Croeso Awards are linked to an eight-month mentoring programme delivered in partnership with this year's culinary partners, The Celtic Collection. The initiative provides hands-on experience and industry mentoring for Pembrokeshire College students preparing for careers in tourism and hospitality.
This year, Visit Pembrokeshire made a concerted effort to widen participation by reinforcing that the awards are open to all tourism businesses across Pembrokeshire – not exclusively Visit Pembrokeshire members. The Awards have no application fee, free finalist tickets, and 17 award categories available. The organisation also opened applications earlier than previous years to give businesses additional time to apply ahead of the busy spring season.
Emma Thornton, CEO of Visit Pembrokeshire, said:
“In previous years, we have seen many of the same businesses submitting thoughtful and high-quality applications. While we welcome and are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our longstanding applicants, we are equally keen to showcase the breadth of outstanding businesses across Pembrokeshire that are creating exceptional experiences for visitors.
“With the vast majority of tourism businesses in Pembrokeshire being micro-businesses, we truly appreciate the time and commitment required to complete an application. The increase in entries this year is hugely encouraging and demonstrates the passion, resilience and innovation that exists across our tourism industry. We wish all applicants the very best of luck.”
With applications now closed, the judging process is officially underway. Independent industry experts from outside Pembrokeshire will assess submissions across all categories to determine this year's finalists and winners.
The official shortlist will be announced on 1 July 2026.
