FINALISTS in this year's tourism Oscars have been announced - and North Yorkshire features prominently.

Four local tourism operators have made the final shortlist for the prestigious national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2007, England's tourism 'Oscars, ' organised by VisitBritain and sponsored by The Caravan Club.

Among them are Andrew and Jacquie Pern, the couple behind the Star Inn, at Harome, near Helmsley.

No strangers to awards already, the renowned pub and restaurant had double cause for celebration last year when they picked up both the Taste Of Yorkshire Award and Pub Of The Year.

All of the finalists qualified to enter the awards after winning the Yorkshire equivalent, a coveted Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB) White Rose Award for Tourism.

David Andrews, chief executive of YTB said: "Seven finalists across 12 categories is the best shortlist performance we have had in the 18 years these awards have run.

"To put it in perspective, there are only 36 businesses from the whole of England on the shortlist and just under 20 per cent of them are Yorkshire-based. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of the people involved in our tourism industry and their relentless quest for quality."

Yorkshire, with seven finalists making the shortlist entries across 12 categories, rates equal first with historical rivals over the Pennines in the North West Regional Development Agency's territory.

The winners will be announced at a national awards ceremony on April 18 to be held at Banqueting House in London. The finalists were selected by a board of tourism industry judges including Nick Cust, board member of the England Marketing Advisory Board, and travel journalist Alison Rice.

Also on the judging panel was Brian Richardson, executive secretary of award sponsors The Caravan Club.

This year's nominees are:

B&B/Guest Accommodation - Moorlands Country House Levisham, near Pickering

Small Attraction - Ripley Castle, Ripley, Harrogate

A Taste of England - The Star Inn, Harome, near Helmsley

Andrew Pern, owner and chef at The Star Inn, said: "It's great to get through to this stage. Last year we won the awards from the Yorkshire tourist board and decided it was a good idea to enter the competition as it was our ten year anniversary here, and when we won it was amazing.

"We are served by some excellent local farmers and with such top quality produce it's easy to cook to a high standard."