The Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards are back with entries open now

Applications are now officially open for the prestigious Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards 2022, with even more categories to enter and win.

Liverpool Cathedral will play host to the ceremony on Thursday 2 March 2023 – when the region will recognise and reward the very best tourism businesses

The 18 categories this year include awards for Hotel of the Year, Experience of the Year as well as best Hidden Gem. One award being reintroduced is the category for the Business Events Venue of the year to reflect the successful return of meetings and conference events following the pandemic. Thirteen of the winners will then go forward to the Visit England Awards in June 2023, at which Liverpool restaurant, Lu Ban, won gold at the 2022 ceremony in Birmingham earlier this summer.

Mark Basnett, Managing Director of Growth Platform – who organise the awards, supported by the Visitor Economy Board, said:

“The visitor economy took a huge hit during the pandemic and faces further challenges over the months ahead. That said, recent figures have shown the city region firmly getting back on its feet and these awards are an excellent opportunity to recognise the incredible resilience shown by the sector and come together to reward and celebrate our unique and diverse tourism offering.”

Liverpool City Region Tourism awards 2021 and the Liverpool Cathedral. Picture: Jason Roberts

Laura Pye, Chair of the Visitor Economy Board, said:

“The Tourism Awards are a great opportunity for this hard-working sector to take a moment and reflect on all the positive things it has achieved over the last 12 months, whilst it’s of course great for the winners to be recognised it’s just as important that all visitor economy businesses have a moment to thinking about their own successes and celebrate them. I would encourage everyone to take 5 mins and think about your achievements to enter this year’s awards.”

The headline sponsor will again be Liverpool BID Company, with associate sponsors Liverpool ONE and Lexus Liverpool.

Other sponsors confirmed are ACC Liverpool, Bolland & Lowe, BDO LLP, EPIC, The Guide Liverpool, Liverpool Cathedral, Lu Ban Restaurant, Merseyrail, The Metro, National Museums Liverpool, Ticket Quarter and Wirral Chamber of Commerce.

Bill Addy, Chief Executive at Liverpool BID Company, said:

“Liverpool’s tourism industry not only welcomes millions of visitors each year, but it is also one of our most significant economic drivers. It is not merely hotels but venues, attractions, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, museums, theatres, galleries and much more. It is also people, individuals who give visitors a warm welcome, who give our city character and help its culture to shine. They are our city’s heart and soul, who work passionately and determinedly to put the best of our great city forward.

“Liverpool is the fifth most visited city for overseas tourists, and the fourth for domestic visitors. That is because there is so much to see you simply can’t fit it into one visit. The rich diversity of our tourism industry truly offers something for everyone.

“At Liverpool BID Company we will always be champions for both the businesses and the individuals of our tourism industry, and we are delighted to be celebrating them once again.”

Applications are now open until Friday 14 October 2022 and any tourism related businesses based in the Liverpool City Region are invited to apply. For a full list of categories go to www.lcrtourismawards.com