Tenby has scooped a silver award against strong national competition at this year's British Travel Awards (BTA).

The town - the only Welsh entrant - was entered in the Best UK Coastal Resort category.

The 2014 results were announced at a glamorous Venetian-themed awards dinner at Battersea Evolution in London, attended by close to a thousand representatives from the travel industry.

Delighted with the accolade, Alan Turner, Pembrokeshire County Council's tourism marketing and development manager, said: "We are honoured to have won this prestigious award for Tenby and are hugely grateful to all those who took the trouble to vote for us.

"We first entered Tenby in the 2013 awards and came home delighted with a bronze award, but to take another step up the ladder and be awarded a silver is a huge achievement."

County Clr. Keith Lewis, cabinet member for economy and tourism, added: "This is well-deserved recognition for all the hard work our tourism businesses have put in over the last few years to develop first class accommodation, attractions and visitor services in Tenby."

Pembrokeshire had also been shortlisted in the best UK holiday county/destination.

The BTAs are widely acknowledged as the most definitive and largest monitor of public opinion on the performance of travel and tourism providers - the 'Oscars' of the industry.

Travel companies and tourism organisations were invited to register for listing in the various categories. A shortlist was then drawn up by a panel of respected individuals from both in and outside of the travel industry, but it is the leisure holidaymakers whose votes finally determine the winners.

BTA's chief executive, Lorraine Barnes Burton, said: "This year, more than one million votes were cast by consumers to determine the winners, making it the largest awards programme in the UK.

"To receive an award is truly an accolade. Tenby is to be congratulated on its achievement in an awards programme which garners the opinions of the nation - these finalists and winners really are the best in travel."