The winners of the inaugural Mid Wales Tourism Awards, designed to celebrateand showcase the region’s exceptional tourism industry, will be announced on Thursday night.

Forty-two finalists in 13 categories will head for The Hafren in Newtown fora glittering awards ceremony, which will be compered by Welsh tourism personality Jonathan Jones, CBE.

The biennial awards are organised by MWT Cymru with support from Mid Wales RegionalTourism Forum, a public and sector partnership and Visit Wales, the Welsh Government’s tourism arm.

The largest category is Young Tourism Person of the Year, supported by Grŵp ColegauNPTC Group of Colleges, which has seven finalists.

The award is designedto recognise young entrepreneurial, professional and business talents aged 30 years and under.

The finalists are Hannah Quincey, King Arthurs Labyrinth, Corris; Amy Williams, West Wales Holiday Cottages, Aberporth; Amy Clark, Nags Head, Garthmyl; Alice Yeoman, NPTC Group of Colleges; Geraint Morris, The Granary, Newtown and Ash Cooperwhite, The Granary, Newtown.

The other finalists are:

Best Hotel: Portmeirion Hotel, The Dragon Hotel, Montgomery and Trefeddian Hotel, Aberdovey. Best B&B or Guest House:

Gwesty Cymru, ​Aberystwyth; The Royston, ​Llanbrynmair and The Nags Head, ​Garthmyl.

Best Self Catering:

Trefeddian (Self Catering), Aberdovey; Mid Wales Holiday Lets, Rhayader and Tanyresgair Cottages, Aberystwyth.

Best Glamping or Quirky Accommodation:

Angharad@Meurig Cottage, Lampeter; Canvas & Campfires, ​Lampeter and Upper Gelli, Welshpool.

Best Camping, Touring, Holiday Park or Holiday Home Park:

Islawrffordd

Caravan Park, ​Tal-y-Bont; Maesmawr Farm Resort, Caersws and Fforest Fields, ​Hundred House, Llandrindod Wells.

Best for Groups: Plas Dinam, ​Llandinam; Tynrhyd Retreat, ​Aberystwyth;

Metropole Hotel & Spa, Llandrindod Wells.

Best Place to Eat or Drink: The Granary, ​Newtown; The Nags Head, ​Garthmyl and Y Crochan, Corris.

Best Activity or Experience: Corris Mine Explorers, ​Corris; Falconry

Experience Wales, Machynlleth and Epic Fishing Ltd, ​New Quay. Best Attraction, supported by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society: King Arthurs Labyrinth, ​Corris; Talyllyn Railway, Tywyn and Dan-Yr-Ogof National Showcave Centre for Wales, Abercraf. Best event:

Wonderwool Wales, ​Builth Wells; Welshpool 1940's Weekend; Glanusk Estate Fayre, Crickhowell.

Best Third Sector, supported by Social Business Wales: Crickhowell

Resource & Information Centre, ​Crickhowell; RSPB Ynys-hir, Machynlleth; Centre for Alternative Technology, ​Machynlleth.

Tourism Innovation Award, supported by Cambrian Training: moduLog Glamping Pods & Cabins, Builth Wells; West Wales Holiday

Cottages, Aberporth and Ty Cwch, Llandysul.

Granted an Awards Trust Mark by the Independent Awards Standards Council, the

awards are open to all businesses, organisations and individuals who contribute to tourism within Mid Wales.

Sponsors are Cambrian Training,

Grŵp

Colegau NPTC Group of Colleges, Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, Busnes Cymdeithasol Cymru/

Social Business Wales, Cambrian News, County Times and Express and Gazette, Mid Wales Journal and NFU Mutual.

MWT Cymru is the regional destination marketing and membership organisation

for Powys, Ceredigion and Meirionnydd district of Southern Snowdonia. As a not-for-profit social enterprise company, MWT Cymru supports and represents more than 550 tourism businesses and organisations across the region.