A record number of businesses entered this year’s Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards and the shortlist has now been revealed. Tony McDonough reports

 

Economic development agency Growth Platform has published the shortlist for this year’s Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards.

With record entries this year, the applications have been narrowed down by an expert judging panel. They will now go forward to the awards ceremony taking place at Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

There are 19 categories this year including Hotel of the Year, Experience of the Year, New Tourism Business and Unsung Hero.

After the ceremony 12 of the winners will then go forward to the Visit England Awards for Excellence in June 2024, at which Liverpool hotel, Titanic won gold at the 2023 ceremony earlier this summer.

Janet Nuzum, sector lead for visitor economy at Growth Platform, said: “We are delighted to have received record entries for the Tourism Awards this year as the support for the awards continues to grow and businesses recognise the value of being involved.

“In particular it is pleasing to see so many entries for the two new categories – Entertainment Venue of the Year and the Eurovision Experience Award which demonstrates the breadth of venues we have across the city region and also how businesses fully embraced Eurovision in such a unique way.

“Special thanks go to our experienced panel of judges who have had a difficult job in shortlisting this year as the quality of entries was so high.”

Headline sponsor of this year’s awards is Liverpool BID Company. Associate sponsors are Liverpool ONE and Lexus Liverpool.

Other confirmed sponsors and event partners are ACC Liverpool, Bolland & Lowe, BDO, The Guide Liverpool, Kimpton, Knowsley Safari Park, Liverpool Cathedral, Merseyrail, MSP Global, My Time, NML, The Metro, PIB Insurance, Ticket Quarter, Virgin Experience Days, West Midlands Trains and Wild Thang.

READ MORE: Eurovision visitors spent £54m in Liverpool

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Bill Addy, chief executive of Liverpool BID Company, added: “What an incredible shortlist we have and how well they reflect our vibrant and committed tourism sector.

“We know how critical this industry is to our city region. Liverpool is the fifth most visited city in the UK for overseas tourists and the fourth for domestic visitors. It is these businesses that provide both the attraction, the welcome and the purpose for the visit.

“They are the oil that keeps our vibrant visitor economy running and I am delighted for each one on the shortlist.”

The ‘Hidden Gem’ category will be back again for 2023 and sponsored by The Guide Liverpool. This category will be voted for by the public and will recognise the region’s ‘best kept secret’. Click here to nominate your favourite.

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

• Quest Apartments Liverpool City Centre
• Staybridge Suites Liverpool
• The Eden Warehouse

Hotel of the Year

• Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa
• Hope Street Hotel
• INNSiDE by Melia Liverpool
  Malmaison Liverpool
• Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village
• Pullman Liverpool
• Titanic Hotel Liverpool

Business Events Venue

• Escape Live Liverpool
• INNSiDE by Melia Liverpool
• The Jockey Club Venues – Aintree Racecourse
• Spaces at The Spine

New Tourism Business Award

• Brewery Bus Tours
• Eureka! Science + Discovery
• Liverpool Famous Walking Tours
• Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village
• Radisson Red Liverpool
• Shakespeare North Playhouse

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award

• Antonio’s Bar & Grill
• Leonard Hotel Liverpool
• Liverpool Philharmonic
• Spaces at The Spine
• Sunnyside Guest House
• The Palm House Sefton Park

Independent Tourism Business of the Year

• Arts Bar Hope Street
• Fab 4 Taxi Tours
• Liverpool Famous Walking Tours
• Manifest
• MerseyMade
• Sunnyside Guest House

Eurovision Experience of the Year

• British Music Experience
• Invisible Wind Factory presents Aquatopia – The Blue and Yellow Submarine Parade
• John Lewis & Partners Liverpool
• Liverpool Philharmonic
• Liverpool Tourist Information Centre
• National Museums Liverpool
• Royal Albert Dock Liverpool
• The City of Liverpool College

Taste of Liverpool Award – Café/Bistro of the Year

• Bean Coffee Roasters Liverpool ONE
• MerseyMade
• The Watering Can
• The Welsford Bistro

Taste of Liverpool Award – Restaurant of the Year 

• Antonio’s Bar & Grill
• Baltic Market
• Delifonseca Dockside
• Manifest
• The Art School
• The London Carriage Works

Pub of the Year

• The Hightown Pub & Kitchen
• The Red Fox Thornton Hough
• The Windmill Southport

Experience of the Year

• Liverpool Famous Walking Tours
• Liverpool Food Tours – A Taste of Liverpool Food Walking Tour
• Mersey Tunnel Tours
• National Trust, The Beatles’ Childhood Homes
• The Magical Mystery Tour
• Viking Quest Adventure Golf

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

• LFC Stadium Tours & Experiences
• Liverpool Cathedral
• Mersey Ferries
• Museum of Liverpool
• National Trust, Speke Hall
• The Beatles Story

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

• British Music Experience
• Liverpool Beatles Museum
• Strawberry Field
• The Palm House Sefton Park

Entertainment Venue of the Year

• Arts Bar Hope Street
• Future Yard
• Liverpool Philharmonic
• Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
• Liverpool’s Royal Court
• M&S Bank Arena
• Shakespeare North Playhouse
• The Cavern Club

Tourism Young Person of the Year

• Yasmin Rainbow, Hilton Liverpool
• Natash Elston, Holiday Inn Express Royal Albert Dock
• James Duckworth, Shakespeare North Playhouse
• Amber Kinrade, Strawberry Field
• Alex Zervos, The Art School

Unsung Hero Award

• Chris Duffy, Hilton Liverpool
• Tracey Sellars, Holiday Inn Liverpool
• Roy Forshaw, National Museums Liverpool
• Caitlin French, Pullman Liverpool
• Colin Hughes, Sefton Park Palm House
• Me Terzza, Shakespeare North Playhouse