New Year Honours: Visit Cornwall's Malcolm Bell appointed MBE
- Published
Malcolm Bell said his late parents "would have been very annoyed" if he had turned the MBE down
A tourism boss has been appointed an MBE in the New Year Honours list for working "tirelessly" on behalf of a "significant industry".
Visit Cornwall head Malcolm Bell has received the honour for services to tourism in south-west England.
The honour has also been given in recognition for his work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 66-year-old said the honour was "a bit of a shock" .
In his citation, Mr Bell was described as working "tirelessly on behalf of the county's significant tourism industry to raise its profile internationally".
It also said Visit Cornwall had been instrumental during the pandemic in establishing a regional group of business leaders and government officials, and, "in particular during Covid-19", helping "disseminate the latest information on support available [and] guidance updates".
He said he was "a bit embarrassed" when he got the news and it "came as a bit of a shock".
Mr Bell said: "I had a think about it and realised my dear-departed mum and dad would have been very annoyed if I turned it down."
He thanked all the teams he had worked with "because I can't do it on my own", and the work of all involved had seen Cornwall's tourism go "from the fourth division to the Premiership in 25 years".
He said: "It's great to see it doing so well. We can go forward in a sustainable and responsible way, but there's a great future for it as well."
Other honours recipients from Cornwall include:
Pawlet Brookes, 58, from St Mawes, who has been appointed an MBE for services to the arts
Barbara Rounsevell, 61, from Truro, who has been appointed an MBE for services to the community in Cornwall
Sarah Stanton-Nadin, 56, from Sennen, who has received the British Empire Medal for voluntary services to the community in Sennen and St Just during Covid-19
Gary Walters, 56, from Menheniot, who has received the British Empire Medal for services to the community
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