Lincoln BIG are delighted to announce that VisitEngland, the national tourism agency for the UK awarded our Sightseeing Tour Bus the Quality Assured Visitor Attraction accreditation with an overall score of 95% during the summer! 

With this great achievement, we were nominated for a Gold Accolade which are awarded annually to participants in the Visitor Attraction quality scheme who achieve a high standard, and that the assessor felt were truly deserving of recognition. 

The Accolades were announced today, Tuesday 22 October, at a celebratory lunch hosted at the British Motor Museum, Warwickshire. Two of our tour guides Horace Liberty and Alan Thompson went to collect our award.

Nominations for the accolade are based on a range of feedback, including the annual assessment, observations by the assessor, customer feedback – both directly to VisitEngland and online customer reviews.

Sharon Stone, Corporate Manager responsible for the Sightseeing Tour Bus said ‘We are delighted to achieve this accreditation with flying colours and by the Lead Assessor no less.  This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Tour Guides and the operator Stagecoach East Midlands – I couldn’t ask for a better team!"

The overall Visitor Attraction Scheme is designed to help visitor attractions to improve, whether through increased visitor numbers, a more engaged visitor experience.  The Tour assessment is tailored to the type of experience offered to visitors, in our case, 2,000 years of history with live commentary to include Lincoln’s Magna Carta, the stunning Cathedral and Castle, Roman Lincoln, Aviation Heritage and much more. 

Our accreditation was awarded based on a mystery passenger, who turned out to be the Lead Assessor for the UK.  The assessment was based on a number of criterias including the branding and appearance of the sightseeing bus, the welcome by our trained Tour Guides, the live commentary of 2,000 years of history, our advertising collateral and customer feedback.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:   “These accolades highlight the wonderful visitor experiences provided by English attractions, from the warmest of welcomes to amazing food and drink, from great storytelling to outstanding customer service. 

“Our tourism businesses are the bedrock of our industry and it is wonderful to highlight and celebrate the fantastic service and experiences they give visitors, time-after-time. From museums, gardens and nature reserves to farm attractions, estates and theme parks, these attractions go out of their way to make visits memorable.”   

We are excited for the bus to return next year and watch you all admire the sights Lincoln has to offer.

Head over to VisitEngland for more information.