TWO of the star events of Durham’s spectacular year of culture have been shortlisted for honours at this year’s North East England Tourism Awards.

The three-month Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition in Durham City and the staging of the region’s first Ashes test match at Chester-le-Street are on a shortlist of four in the Tourism Event of the Year category.

Meanwhile the Gospels exhibition goes up against Hall Hill Farm, from Lanchester, in a straight fight for the prestigious Tourism Experience of the Year award.

A shortlist of 51 nominations has been published for the awards, which will be announced at a ceremony on November 21 at St James’ Park, hosted by BBC presenter Carol Malia.

Sarah Stewart, chief executive of awards organisers the NewcastleGateshead Initiative said: "This year’s Tourism Awards are set to be bigger and better.

"It’s fantastic to see that since last year’s successful awards ceremony at Sage Gateshead even more tourism business have entered in 2013".

She added: "The North East England Tourism Awards are an important platform.

"They create a spotlight for the industry to shine and give businesses the opportunity to celebrate their innovation, quality and performance.

"The region has a lot to offer visitors and the awards celebrate this diversity."

Three County Durham venues are named on a shortlist of six for the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year honour: Hall Hill Farm, the Oriental Museum in Durham City and Auckland Castle.

Among the other nominees are Durham University, shortlisted in both the Business Tourism and Sustainable Tourism categories, and Rockliffe Hall Hotel, shortlisted in the Large Hotel of the Year award.

Wendy Benson, Sales and Marketing Director at Rockliffe Hall, said: "We are delighted to be shortlisted once again for Large Hotel of the Year in the forthcoming North East England Tourism Awards.

"As past Gold winners for both the regional and national VisitEngland Awards of Excellence, we are immensely proud to have gained such accolades and firmly believe these have played a key part in Rockliffe Hall enjoying the success and recognition we have achieved to date."

Winners at the event will also have the chance to compete on a national stage against winners from England’s other regions at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in 2014.

The nominees are: Access for All Tourism Award Discovery Museum, Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) Sage Gateshead (Tyne & Wear) Bed & Breakfast / Guest Accommodation of the Year Award Carraw Bed & Breakfast (Northumberland) Martineau Guest House, Tynemouth (Tyne & Wear) Dowfold House Bed & Breakfast (County Durham) St Cuthberts House (Northumberland) Business Tourism Award Northumbria University – Inspirational Spaces (Tyne & Wear) Sodexo Prestige / Newcastle United Football Club (Tyne & Wear) Event Durham, Durham University (County Durham) Caravan Holiday Park / Holiday Village of the Year Award Seafield Caravan Park (Northumberland) Northumbrian Water ltd – Leaplish Waterside Park, Kielder (Northumberland) Bobby Shafto Caravan Park (County Durham) Large Hotel of the Year Award Jurys Inn Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa (County Durham) Newcastle Marriott Gosforth Park Hotel (Tyne & Wear) Ramada Encore Newcastle-Gateshead (Tyne & Wear) Hotel Indigo Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) Large Visitor Attraction of the Year Award National Trust Gibside, Gateshead (Tyne & Wear) International Centre for Life, Life Science Centre, Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) Sage Gateshead (Tyne & Wear) The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) Self Catering Provider of the Year Award The Waiting Rooms (Northumberland) Beacon Hill Farm (Northumberland) Blacksmith’s Cottage (Northumberland) Taste of England Award Colman’s of South Shields (Tyne & Wear) Northumberland Cheese Company ltd (Northumberland) The Feathers Inn (Northumberland) Tourism Event of the Year Award The Late Shows – Tyne & Wear Archive & Museums (Tyne & Wear) The Ashes – Durham County Cricket Club (County Durham) Sunderland International Airshow – Sunderland Live (Tyne & Wear) Lindisfarne Gospels Durham – lead partner Durham University (County Durham) Tourism Experience of the Year Award Lindisfarne Gospels Durham – lead partner Durham University (County Durham) Hall Hill Farm (County Durham) Tourism Pub of the Year Award South Causey Inn (County Durham) The Feathers Inn (Northumberland) Visitor Information Provider of the Year Award North Shields Tourist Information Centre (Tyne & Wear) Northumberland National Park Centre, TIC Once Brewed (Northumberland) NewcastleGateshead Visitor Information Centre (Tyne & Wear) Durham Pointers (County Durham) Small Hotel of the Year Award Wynyard Hall (Tees Valley) Doxford Hall Hotel & Spa (Northumberland) Seaham Hall (County Durham) Sustainable Tourism Award Killhope Museum (County Durham) North Music Trust, Sage Gateshead (Tyne & Wear) Durham University (County Durham) Small Visitor Attraction of the Year Award WWT Washington Wetland Centre, Sunderland (Tyne & Wear) Oriental Museum (County Durham) Auckland Castle (County Durham) The Cycle Hub, Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) Ouseburn Trust – Victoria Tunnel, Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) Hall Hill Farm (County Durham)