Organisers of the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards are inviting businesses to send in their entries for the event which takes place in early 2024. Tony McDonough reports

Businesses in Liverpool city region’s visitor economy are being invited to submit their entries for the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards 2023.

Liverpool Cathedral will play host to the ceremony on Thursday, February 29, 2024, when the region will recognise and reward the very best tourism businesses. Last week it was revealed the city region visitor economy is now worth more than £5bn a year.

This year there will be 19 categories covering all aspects of the visitor economy including accommodation, hospitality, attractions and tours.

Two new categories for 2023 include the return of the Entertainment Venue of the Year, aimed at theatres and live music venues, whilst a special award has been created to recognise those organisations who embraced the Eurovision Song Contest.

Thirteen of the winners will go forward to the Visit England Awards for Excellence in June 2024, at which the Titanic Hotel and St Lukes Bombed Out Church both won Gold at the 2023 ceremony held at Warner Bros Studio earlier this summer.

Janet Nuzum, visitor economy sector manager at awards organiser Growth Platform, said: “As a city region we have seen great success coming out of these awards at a national level.

“We were delighted when we had three of our winners shortlisted for the national Visit England Awards for Excellence in June 2023.

“I would urge as many businesses as possible to get involved and be part of a showcase of what our fantastic visitor economy has to offer.”

Bill Addy, chief executive at Liverpool BID Company, headline sponsor of the awards, added: “The Tourism Awards are, quite rightly, one of the highlights in our calendar.

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“This is such a valuable industry that reflects the very best of our city. The innovation, friendliness, warmth of the welcome, determination to showcase the breadth of our offer as a place to visit and stay.

“One of our key strengths is our commitment to collaboration. From the commercial to the public sector, independent to multi-national, our goal is always the same – to show off our region in its very best light.”

Applications are now open until Friday, September 29. All tourism related businesses based in the Liverpool City Region are invited to apply. For a full list of categories go to www.lcrtourismawards.com