VisitEngland has revealed the winner of its Tourism Superstar 2025 competition with port volunteers Southampton Saints taking the title.
The Southampton Saints are made up of 13 port cruise welcome ambassadors who greet visitors at the city’s port.Second place goes to Wendy Wilshere from County Durham’s 11 Arches/Kynren and in third place Hannah Clapp from Muncaster Castle Gardens and Hawk & Owl Centre in Cumbria.
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:
“VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar competition is all about finding the individuals within England’s tourism industry who are doing something extra to make visitors feel special, going above and beyond to make their experiences truly exceptional.
“The Southampton Saints pull out all the stops when they welcome cruise ship tourists at the city port with a friendly smile and helpful information on local attractions and must-see places. They also provide the all-important first impression, setting the standard for what visitors can expect from their tourism experience in England. I thank them for their hard work, and I congratulate the team on this well-deserved win.”
Executive Director GO! Southampton – Business Improvement District Limited Stephen Manion said:
“Southampton is absolutely thrilled and honoured to win this prestigious VisitEngland award. We are very proud of our Saints, who are amazing ambassadors for this great city, sharing their passion and love to make the visitor journey more enjoyable and memorable. Thank you to everyone who voted.”
This year’s Tourism Superstar competition ran from 12 February until midnight on 23 March, culminating at the end of English Tourism Week, which took place from the 14-23 March, with the public voting for their favourite amongst 10 finalists. VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar search in 2025 saw the largest number of votes ever cast, with more than 18,000.
The Southampton Saints will be presented with their Tourism Superstar award at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 event at the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on 4 June.
Tourism is one of England’s largest, most valuable industries, supporting more than 200,000 businesses, employing 2.6 million people and generating about £76 billion in domestic visitor spending.
