Organisers of the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards hail record number of entries as they reveal this year’s shortlist. Tony McDonough reports
A record number of entries have been received for the 2024 Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards with the ceremony scheduled for early in 2025.
Organised by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and supported by the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP), the awards highlight the best of the £6.25bn tourism and hospitality sector across the city region.
Now the shortlist has been revealed across the 19 categories. Finalists will now go forward to the awards ceremony being held at Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday, February 27, 2025. 14 of the winners will go forward to the Visit England Awards for Excellence.
This year’s categories include awards for accommodation providers, attractions, food and drink venues and new tourism businesses. New for this year are the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism award and the International Tourism award.
Bill Addy, chief executive at headline sponsor Liverpool BID Company, said: “As we prepare to gather together again to celebrate those working in our tourism industry and visitor economy it is a moment to think about how important these businesses, individuals and events are to our city region economy.
“It is not just jobs but experiences, welcomes, visits, special days out and cultural moments.
“Tourism is a vital ingredient in the business of Liverpool city region and its importance is something we just both celebrate and innovate to keep ourselves ahead of the game in such a competitive field.”
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Back for this year is the Hidden Gem category, sponsored by The Guide Liverpool. This will be voted for by the public and will recognise the region’s ‘best kept secret’. Click here to nominate your Hidden Gem. The full shortlist is:
B&B and Guest House of the Year
- The Bowden Lodge
- The Braemar Southport
- Sunnyside Guest House
Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
- Garden by The Bay
- Happy Days Apartments
- Quest Apartments Liverpool City Centre
- Staybridge Suites Liverpool
- The Eden Warehouse
Hotel of the Year
- Hope Street Hotel
- Malmaison Liverpool
- Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village
- Pullman Liverpool
- The Municipal Hotel & Spa MGallery Liverpool
- Titanic Hotel Liverpool
Business Events Venue
- Aintree Racecourse
- Escape Live Liverpool
- Hilton Hotel Liverpool
- Rum Warehouse at Titanic Hotel Liverpool
- Spaces at The Spine
- The Lake House
New Tourism Business Award
- Arts Bar Baltic
- Blackstock Market
- Eureka! Science + Discovery
- Gravity Max Liverpool ONE
- Salt & Tar
- School Lane Hotel
Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award
- Eureka! Science + Discovery
- Liverpool Cathedral
- Liverpool Philharmonic
- Strawberry Field
- Sunnyside Guest House
Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award
- Future Yard
- Liverpool Philharmonic
- Liverpool Properties, National Trust
- NORD
- Sunnyside Guest House
- The Eden Warehouse
- Titanic Hotel Liverpool
International Tourism Award
- Hotel Anfield
- Liverpool Cathedral
- Liverpool Tourist Information Centre
- The Beatles Story
Taste of Liverpool Award – Café/Bistro of the Year
- Crosby Coffee
- Imagine More Café at Strawberry Field
- Museum of Liverpool Café
- The Bluecoat Café
- The Lake House
- The Watering Can
Taste of Liverpool Award – Restaurant of the Year
- Antonio’s Bar & Grill
- Chamber 36
- Delifonseca Dockside
- Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
- Salt House Tapas
- Tik Taco
Pub of the Year
- The Bridewell
- The Jacaranda
- The One O’Clock Gun
- The Red Fox
- The Windmill Southport
Experience of the Year
- Fab 4 Taxi Tours
- Mersey Tunnel Tours
- National Trust, The Beatles’ Childhood Homes
- Reel Tours
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
- Liverpool Football Club Tours & Experiences
- Liverpool Cathedral
- National Trust, Speke Hall
- The Beatles Story
- World Museum Liverpool
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
- British Music Experience
- Port Sunlight Museum
- Royal Liver Building 360 Tour
- Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust
- Strawberry Field
Entertainment Venue of the Year
- Arts Bar Hope Street
- Albert’s Schloss
- Liverpool Philharmonic
- Salt & Tar
- Shakespeare North Playhouse
- The Liverpool Empire Theatre
Tourism Young Person of the Year
- Jack Frank, Hilton Hotel Liverpool
- Ellen Taylor, INNSiDE By Melia
- Philip Barnes, Mersey Ferries
- Erin Lorimer, Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village
- Liam Roberts, School Lane Hotel
- Tom Hughes, The Bus Yard
- Daisy Cooper, Titanic Hotel Liverpool
Unsung Hero Award
- Mark McKenna, Liverpool Tourist Information Centre
- Craig Cavanagh, Masons Liverpool
- Phil Witter, National Museums Liverpool
- Simon Osborne, National Trust
- Jean Milton, Port Sunlight Village Trust
- Bridget Mulroy, Shakespeare North Playhouse
- Veso Mihaylov, The Jacaranda/Jacaranda Baltic