IRELAND IS set to win big in this years' World Travel Awards as it has clinched a whopping sixteen nominations across multiple industries.
The annual awards aim to highlight the best that countries have to offer tourists: from airlines to hotels to local attractions-- and as we know, Ireland can boast some of the best of the best.
The Emerald Isle has been nominated for the prestigious awards for its hotels, distilleries, museums, historical tours, and fantastic cities-- read ahead to find out how you can help them win (And get some fabulous Staycations ideas while you're at it!).
Ireland has been nominated as Europe's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, in part thanks to our incredible outdoor scenery and wide range of activities, from surfing to kayaking to scuba diving, hill-walking and hiking to abseiling and rock climbing and so much more.
If you're more of an 'eat, drink and relax' type of tourist, the Emerald Isle is still for you, as the country is also up for the award of the overall Leading Destination for all of Europe, with Dublin City also nominated for the best City Break Destination in Europe.
Dublin city centre's famous Spire (Photo: mady70/Getty)For those of us willing the live music industry to get back up and running, Ireland is one of the best places in the world to be, as the famously musical country is nominated for Europe's Leading Festival and Event Destination.
When it comes to attractions, Ireland is not lacking in keeping people entertained-- whatever they're into.
If you're looking to delve deep into your history and heritage, Dublin's EPIC Emigration Museum is dedicated to Ireland's incredible and wide-ranging history of immigration, and has been nominated for the title of Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction-- an award it has previously won two years in a row.
This year, the EPIC Museum will battle it out against Cork's Spike Island for the award, an island in the sea which is steeped in 1300 years incredible history, having once been home monasteries, fortresses and a notoriously cruel prison-- now one of Europe's leading tourist attractions.
Spike Island (Pic: Ryan O'Neil)Of course, alongside the majestic countryside, entrenched ancient history, culture and music, Ireland is also famous for something else: whiskey.
No less than four Irish distilleries have been nominated for the World Travel Awards' Europe's Leading Distillery Tour: Jameson Distillery, Tullamore DEW Visitor Centre, Teeling Whiskey Distillery and Pearse Lyons Distillery are all up to win, battling it out against distilleries in Scotland, England and France.
As for places to stay when you're exploring everything the Emerald Isle has to offer, the Adare Manor in Adare, County Limerick, has been nominated as Europe's Leading Hotel.
The luxury five-star resort is in with a major chance to win-- not least because it has won the World Travel Award for Ireland's Leading Hotel for the past three years in a row.
Adare Manor in LimerickCounty Clare's Hotel Doolin has been nominated for Leading Green Hotel thanks to it's eco-friendly initiatives (And its location, right by the iconic Cliffs of Moher, adds to its appeal as an absolute gem!).
Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa, situated just outside Clonakilty in West Cork, boasts some of the most breath-taking views of the rugged Irish wilderness, and this is-- in part-- the reason it is in with the chance of winning the award for Europe's Leading Island Resort.
Five-star boutique hotel The Marker, based in Dublin city's Docklands, is up for the title of Europe's Leading New Hotel, and the capital's Dublin Convention Centre is nominated for Europe's Leading Meetings and Conference Centre.
Anyone searching for the perfect honeymoon-- which you absolutely deserve if you tied the knot in these uncertain times-- should check out Ashford Castle in County Mayo, nominated for Europe's Leading Honeymoon Resort.
And Ireland's incredible tourism industry couldn't thrive without the help of the Irish tourism board, Fáilte Ireland, which is up for Europe's Leading Tourist Board award.
You can check out all the nominations and cast your vote on the World Travel Awards website here.
