THE Edinburgh Military Tattoo has beaten competition from the Chelsea Flower Show to be named the best event in the UK.

The world-famous extravaganza picked up the accolade at a major travel industry awards ceremony in London.

Readers of Group Leisure magazine - which is aimed at official tour organisers all over the UK - voted the Tattoo the number one event for groups to go to over the last 12 months.

It beat the Chelsea Flower Show, the BBC Gardener's World Live event and the Farnborough International Air Show.

The Tattoo picked up the award almost a year after it was named the best event in Scotland at the annual Thistle Awards ceremony.

A Tattoo spokesman said today: "We're naturally thrilled to hear that the Tattoo has been named the best event in the UK for groups to attend, especially coming on the back of the Thistle Awards success last year. It's a real honour to pick up this award, especially as it's come from within the travel industry, which is responsible for around half of our ticket sales every year.

"We are under no illusions about the importance of the travel industry to our ongoing success and we would like to think this award will do us no harm whatsoever in terms of next year's event."

The Tattoo's award is expected to provide a major boost to ticket sales for next year's event, which runs from August 4-26, when the box office opens on December 1.

All 217,000 tickets for this year's Tattoo sold out in March, three months quicker than in 2004, and organisers are already gearing up for another scramble for briefs for next year's event, the advance programme for which is due to be unveiled in November.

The 55-year-old event has been a complete sell-out for the last seven years.

Last night's awards ceremony is one of the most prestigious in the tourism industry and has been held every year since 1997.

Other winners at the event, which was held in the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel, included Virgin Trains, which was named the best rail operator, The Producers, which was voted best theatre production and Alton Towers, the best attraction in the UK.

A spokeswoman for Group Leisure magazine said: "The group leisure industry includes anyone who organises coach trips or organised outings to an event.

"It's a multi-million-pound industry so for the Tattoo to pick up this award is quite something, especially as it was up against some very big events. It's clearly an incredibly popular event."

This year's Tattoo saw dramatic scenes from the Battle of Trafalgar beamed on to the walls of Edinburgh Castle to commemorate the 200th anniversary.

A VisitScotland spokesman said: "We'd like to congratulate the Edinburgh Military Tattoo on picking up this latest accolade.

"The Tattoo is not only a fantastic visitor attraction, it also serves as a great advert for Edinburgh and Scotland, with its stunning blend of colour and performance, entertaining large numbers of visitors every year."

Lord Provost and chairwoman of the Tattoo Board, Lesley Hinds, said: "Every year the Tattoo attracts thousands of people from around the world. I am delighted it has been recognised in this way."