For the second time in a couple of years, the Isle of Wight is in the running for a prestigious BBC Countryfile Magazine Award.
The shortlist reveals that the Island has been nominated for one of the most sought-after accolades – Holiday Destination of the Year – and as the winner will be decided by a public vote, the local tourist website Visit Isle of Wight is now enthusiastically encouraging as many people as possible to cast their vote for the Island and help it to take the top prize.
As recently as 2018, the Island won over the public in two separate categories of the Countryfile Magazine Awards – Best British Beach and Best Village – with Sandown Bay and Bembridge pulling in the votes.
Will Myles, MD at Visit Isle of Wight, said everyone is naturally delighted with the latest nomination: “We who are lucky enough to live here know that the Isle of Wight is an incredible place” he said.
“There is something for the visitor all year round, from fantastic beaches, amazing events, brilliant attractions, beautiful towns and villages.”
Will says he realises that the competition for top holiday destination will be fierce, but reckons the Island is up to it.
“We’re up against some tough competition, from Anglesey, Essex, the Severn Valley and Orkney, so we can’t just sit back and hope we win – that’s not what we do here on the Isle of Wight!
“We need to get everyone behind us, we need everyone to vote for the Isle of Wight, so get on to the BBC Countryfile website and vote for the Island because we all know that we are the holiday destination of Britain.”
Meanwhile, the Island has also been shortlisted in the competition’s Wildlife Success of the Year category, for its ambitious scheme to reintroduce the White-tailed Sea Eagle on the Island.
Editor of BBC Countryfile Magazine Fergus Collins said of the Awards: “This is probably the strongest line up yet in the eight years we have been running these awards. Our expert judging panel spent many hours honing the contenders and we ended up with shortlists that truly celebrate the best of the British countryside.
“Now it’s the turn of magazine readers and countryfile.com visitors to vote on the best of the best!”
You can vote in both categories, and others at https://countryfile.awardsplatform.com