A UNIVERSITY student has won a national tourism award for her work on helping achieve World Heritage Site status for Birkenhead Park.

Ellie Morris, who is studying BA (Honours) Business Management and International Tourism Management at the University of Chester’s Business School, has been announced as the winner of the Tourism Management Institute (TMI) 2024 Undergraduate Student Award.

Ellie’s win recognises the difference she made during her four-week Work-Based Learning placement with Birkenhead Park UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Project.

The judging panel was impressed with the impact she made in the role in such a short time, managing the communication platforms and undertaking important visitor research.

They commented that she demonstrated her success with a quantifiable increase in the Park’s social media engagement as well as delivering valuable visitor survey feedback.

For several years, it has been an ambition of Wirral Council and partners, including the Friends of Birkenhead Park, to seek UNESCO’s recognition of the park and its immediate surroundings as a World Heritage Site.

The government announced in April 2023 that the Park, known as the People’s Garden, would be included on the UK Tentative List for potential nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Ellie, 20, has now been selected for The David Hughes Memorial Award by judges at the national professional organisation for people studying and working in tourism destination management.

Ellie said: “It is a huge honour to win such a prestigious award on behalf of Chester Business School.

“I am honestly thrilled and grateful to have contributed to Birkenhead Park UNESCO World Heritage Project with the support of World Heritage Project Officer at Birkenhead Park, Marie Le Devehat, and the rest of the Birkenhead Park team.

“The 2024 TMI Award has inspired me to explore the industry further and I hope this inspires others in seeing that hard work and experience can lead to outstanding team achievements.”

World Heritage Project Officer at Birkenhead Park, Marie Le Devehat, added: “It was a real pleasure to have Ellie with us for a few weeks and I was also very impressed by her ability to pick up things so quickly and to make great suggestions.

“It is so important for us to have new eyes looking at the project, especially younger people - the aim of the UNESCO WHS programme is to ensure our heritage is transmitted to future generations, and it is great to see them so enthusiastic about it.”