Pictured above: (l-r) Jim Oribine, Head of Industry Services; David Thornton, Head of Marketing and Deputy Chief Executive; Liz Mackenzie, Commercial Manager and David James, Chief Executive

Official tourist board Visit Peak District & Derbyshire's success in promoting the area as a great place to visit for leisure or business has been praised in the prestigious Derbyshire Times Business Awards.

Its 16-strong workforce was highly commended in the Team of the Year category for a string of impressive achievements in a glitzy ceremony held at Chesterfield Football Club's b2net Stadium on Thursday November 18.

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire came second only to Chesterfield Football Club, which scooped top prize in the competitive category, sponsored by Chesterfield's new four-star Casa Hotel.

"We're delighted that our work over the past six years has been highlighted in this way - it's a well-deserved tribute to the hard work and efforts of our entire team," said tourist board Chief Executive David James.

"We're particularly pleased that we've received recognition in a general awards scheme open to businesses in all sectors, not just tourism - that makes the achievement even more special.

"It's also an encouraging indication of how important tourism is to the local, regional and national economy - as highlighted by Prime Minister David Cameron in his speech earlier this year, indicating that our industry is one of the key drivers to kick start the UK out of recession.

"These are exciting times for us - as well as being selected as one of VisitEngland's pathfinder Destinations of Distinction, playing a leading role in the national tourist board's campaigns promoting the country's unique assets at home and abroad - we have just signed a partnership agreement with Sheffield City Council to maximise our joint appeal to tourists in the future.

"We look forward to continuing our on-going campaign to promote our area as the ideal location for both business and pleasure in the years to come."

Notable achievements that netted the highly commended prize for Visit Peak District & Derbyshire win the Team of the Year award include:

• Marketing campaigns in 2009 that generated more than £13 million in visitor spend according to independent research - bringing in £46 for every £1 spent

• More than 450 local businesses trading on-line via its website

• More than half of accommodation providers with national accreditation

• More than £1 million of PR coverage

• The UK mainland's largest Walking Festival, attracting more than 900,000 unique website visitors and generating more than 19,000 bed night bookings

• The news Excel Tourism Awards, launched at Chatsworth to showcase quality and excellence in the tourism workforce

• Taking over Conference Derbyshire as its tourism business arm to generate more events, conference and accommodation bookings

Added Nicola Megson, Group Editor, Derbyshire Times Group of Newspapers: "I'd like to extend my very best congratulations to Visit Peak District & Derbyshire on receiving this commendation - it's a fantastic organisation that does so much to bring visitors and business to the area."