OTLEY is in the running to be named the most Coach Friendly Destination in the country.

The town was shortlisted this week for the category, which is one of the industry’s top accolades, in the British Coach Tourism Awards 2020.

Otley is competing against four other finalists - Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Tourism (BCP Tourism), Burnham-on-Sea, Southport and Wells in Somerset - for the honour.

The winner will be named at the competition’s awards ceremony at the National Motorcycle Museum, in Birmingham, on Wednesday, March 25.

Nominees for the Coach Friendly Destination title are selected based on their commitment to welcoming coaches, coach groups and coach drivers.

Steps they have taken to improve the coach-friendliness of their town, village, city or region over the previous 12 months are also taken into consideration.

Otley has targeted coach tourism as a key part of its bid to increase visitor numbers in a strategy being led by a Town Coordination Group that includes representatives of Otley Town Council, Otley BID, Otley Town Partnership and Otley & District Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

Lawrence Ross of Visit Otley said: “Otley’s shortlisting for the award of the country’s most Coach Friendly Destination follows on from our receiving official Coach Friendly Status in 2019.

“Both are proof of the positive changes we have made to welcome coach visitors in the town over the last three years.”

Those changes have included creating a Coach and Group Travel page on the visitotley.co.uk website as well as providing pick-up and drop-off bays in town along with dedicated coach parking and improved road signage.

Other initiatives have included improved facilities for drivers - such as a £5 welcome voucher to spend in Otley’s cafes and restaurants - and the chance for coach trips to request an official welcome from Otley Bellman Terry Ford.

The improvements led to the town being awarded official Coach Friendly Status by trade body the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK last year.

Chair of Otley Town Council’s Trade and Tourism Committee, Councillor Paul Carter (Lib Dem, West Chevin) is now hoping another award is within reach.

He said: “Thanks to our fabulous historic market town setting and the use of Otley as a location for popular TV series, such as Emmerdale, the town presents an attractive stop for those coach companies that already offer Yorkshire tours.

“We hope to use the accolades we have received to attract an increasing number of new coach companies to sample the delights of Otley over the coming months.”