Students from East Riding College are being offered a unique opportunity to experience behind the scenes at a major awards ceremony to recognise excellence across the tourism sector. The Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards (REYTAs) will be held at Bridlington Spa on Wednesday, November 18, and hosted by Bridlington-born TV and radio star Jack Marriner-Brown.
Organised by Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY) for the 16th year, the REYTAs have become one of the region’s most prestigious events in the business awards calendar. The evening will see 500 guests gather to celebrate the very best of the regional visitor economy, enjoying a three-course meal, hospitality and entertainment.
Travel and tourism and catering students from East Riding College in Beverley have been offered the chance to shadow senior VHEY team members and the Bridlington Spa hospitality team to learn how the event is planned and executed. From planning social media posts and understanding the technical and programming elements of the event, to coordinating the room set-up and timings and preparation of food, the students will gain valuable insight into how a large-scale event is organised.
Travel and tourism students Evie Walker, 16, India Collinson, 16, and Riley James, 17, all from Bridlington, visited the venue in advance to meet the team and familiarise themselves with the layout ahead of the REYTAs.
India said: “Attending the REYTAs will count towards the 20 hours of work experience we have to complete this year, which is great. “I’ve never been to a black tie event before and I’m excited to see what an awards ceremony is like.”
Evie said: “I’m looking forward to speaking to new people and learning more about the different roles in the team. It’s really exciting.”
Riley said: “Learning more about possible new opportunities, meeting new people and networking will be really interesting. “I completed work experience at Jet2 in Leeds last year and loved it, so it will be good to do something completely different and learn from the team at the REYTAs.”
Hull College students had a similar experience at last year’s REYTAs, held at Connexin Live in Hull.
Rachel Foot, Employability and Placement Coordinator at East Riding College, part of the TEC Partnership, said: “It supports what the students are learning at college – event planning with tourism and seeing what goes into running an event. “It’s such a good opportunity and will help with their studies and future careers. It’s also building on their employability skills including confidence and communication.”
Laura Roberts, Event Lead at VHEY, said: “The students will be busy all night. “I’ll see where their interests lie and buddy them up with the right person, so they can see how they work. “They don’t have to go through months of planning. They will be dropped in and our team will run the evening through with them to show them what their role is, as everyone’s role is different. “The students got a lot out of it last year and I’m sure this year’s students will too.”
VHEY, which is funded by Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council and supported by private sector organisations, has reported a record-breaking number of entries for 2026, with many new businesses entering for the first time. The businesses represent the breadth of Hull and East Yorkshire’s visitor economy, ranging from established attractions, hotels and hospitality businesses to independent producers, events, experiences and some of the sector’s newest names.
Chris Blacksell, Chair of VHEY, the region’s accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP), said: “We’re delighted to have students from East Riding College on board as they consider their next steps. “It links in really well with their tourism and catering courses, providing a unique opportunity to get involved behind the scenes of the region’s flagship tourism celebration event.”
Councillor Nick Coultish, portfolio holder for culture, leisure and tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Vice-Chair of VHEY, said: “I’m so pleased that students from East Riding College will have the opportunity to work alongside the teams delivering this year’s REYTAs at Bridlington Spa. “It’s a fantastic chance to see first-hand what goes into running a major event and gain practical experience that will support their studies and future careers.”
Eligible REYTAs winners will progress to the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, giving businesses the opportunity to represent Hull and East Yorkshire on the national stage. The REYTAs, supported by headline sponsor Fred Marketing, have been awarded ‘Outstanding’ in the Awards Trust Mark Accreditation, recognising their transparency, integrity and impact.
