WIRRAL venues are among those across Merseyside that have been shortlisted for awards celebrating 'the best of tourism and hospitality across the city region'.

Eureka! Science + Discovery in Seacombe, Future Yard in Birkenhead and Port Sunlight Museum will find out whether they are winners at the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards ceremony held at Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday, February 27 next year.

Organised by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and supported by the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP), this year’s 19 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.

The 14 nominees announced as winners in February will then go forward to the Visit England Awards for Excellence in June 2025.

Councillor Mike Wharton, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority's cabinet member for business, investment and trade said: "Once again, we are delighted to have received so many entries for the Tourism Awards this year. With tourism now worth over £6bn to the Liverpool City Region these awards are a celebration of our city region’s thriving tourism industry and its enormous contribution to our economy.

"Year on year the support for the awards continues to grow as businesses recognise the value of being involved. In particular it is pleasing to see support for the two new categories – Accessible & Inclusive Tourism and the International Tourism Award.

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

The ‘Liverpool City Region Hidden Gem’ category will also be back for 2024 and sponsored by The Guide Liverpool. This category will be voted for by the public and will recognise the region’s ‘best kept secret’. Hidden Gems could be attractions, bars, restaurants, tours, or natural assets which are off the main tourism trail.

By nominating a ‘Hidden Gem,’ they could be catapulted into the Tourism Awards spotlight. 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 and 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         

  • 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