Liverpool's 'special army' of tourist ambassadors were rewarded at an Oscar-style awards ceremony (Tuesday, 23 March). 

Just a week after it was announced tourism spending in the Liverpool City region passed £ 1.6bn in 2009, the awards recognised excellence in customer care in the industry and celebrated "the stars which make the city shine". 

There were 12 categories, from bar person and retail assistant to unseen hero of the year, at the awards which attracted a record 500 nominations after the public were invited for the first time to vote, via the City Talk website. 

Organised for the first time by Liverpool City Council's tourism team, with major sponsorship from Liverpool ONE, City Talk and City Central BID, the awards ceremony at the city's Crowne Plaza Hotel was hosted by TV comedy star and Radio City DJ Neil Fitzmaurice. 

Guest of honour was Christina Dixon, Breakfast Supervisor at the Jurys Inn, who won the Outstanding Customer Service Award last year and has now reached the national tourism finals.

Liverpool also looked back at a hugely successful 2009 in which the city avoided the well documented 'Capital of Culture hangover effect', selling almost as many hotel beds as in 2008 - and in the middle of the UK's biggest recession in 60 years. 

Liverpool is also looking ahead to build on the legacy of '08, by developing an international visitor strategy. Key projects over the next decade include being the only UK city exhibiting from May to October at Shanghai World Expo 2010; bidding to be England's first UNESCO Music City; hosting the first Liverpool Boat Show in 2011 and supporting England's World Cup bid 2018 as a Candidate Host City. 

Councillor Gary Millar, Executive Member for Enterprise and Tourism, said: ''Liverpool is now regarded as one of Europe's premier city break destinations, welcoming millions of people every year - and we owe a huge deal of thanks to that special army of thousands who work tirelessly to deliver excellence across the tourism sector. 

"I know personally the amount of effort the industry invests in providing a world class welcome - and these Ambassador Awards rightly salute those whose great responsibility is to prove an unforgettable first impression and service. 

''With a £1.6bn annual visitor economy providing tens of thousand of jobs, their role is critical in sustaining and developing the city's reputation which shone so brightly when we were European Capital of Culture in 2008.'' 

The winners (in bold) and those shortlisted for the Liverpool Ambassador Awards 2010 were:

Visitor / Event Assistant of the Year

Andrew Gee - ACC Liverpool (BT Convention Centre)

Vicky Fearnehough - Mersey Ferries 

Melody Beard - Liverpool ONE

Unseen Hero Award

George Jones - LACE

Sarah Wardle - Holiday Inn

Joanne Moore - Bridge Street at Liverpool ONE

Neil Bretland - Delifonseca

Arts / Culture Staff Award

Beverly Merritt - World Museum (Planetarium)

Joan Burnett - FACT

Tifany Kendall - TATE Liverpool

Family Friendly Assistant 

Debbie Williams - Hope Street Hotel (The London Carriage Works) 

Pesto - the whole team Pesto 

Shelly Ruck - The Beatles Story

Chef / Cook of the Year  

Mark Bond - LACE (The Conference Centre) 

Matt Locke - Spire Restaurant 

Russell Hough - Atlantic Tower Thistle Hotel 

Tourism Support - Transport & Leisure Staff 

John Robinson - Merseyrail 

Andrew Buttle - The 08 Place, Liverpool City Council

Bob Swift - Liverpool City Council

Retail Assistant of the Year  

Carole Woodward - The Beatles Story 

Paula Yarnell - John Lewis 

Drew Fearon - John Lewis

Waiter / Waitress of the Year 

Stephen Coldbeck - Gusto 

Yuko Abe - Etsu, Japanese Restaurant 

Wendy Herrity Bramleys Café

Bar Person of the Year 

Matt Cooke - The London Carriage Works (The Residents' Lounge) 

Adam McLellan - Red Hot Buffet 

Sam Golling - Jurys Inn

Outstanding Customer Service Award  

Mark Harris - Sudley House (National Museums Liverpool)

Christina Smith - Liverpool John Lennon Airport 

Angie Redhead - Liverpool City Council

Young Person of the Year 

Jenny Duncan - Crowne Plaza (Harbour Club) 

Katie White - Jurys Inn

Rebecca Worgan - University of Liverpool (Foresight Centre)

Reception Staff of the Year 

Kim Adamson - Hope Street Hotel 

Darren Whitfield - Holiday Inn Hotel 

Ann Marie Jewell - Holiday Inn Hotel 

Nathalie Wood Bridge - Street at Liverpool ONE