Finalists chosen and voting open for this year's Durham Tourism Superstar 2015

The Durham Tourism Superstar contest, run by Visit County Durham in association with Visit England and The Northern Echo, seeks to honour and celebrate tourism professionals who go the extra mile to ensure visitors enjoy their stay.

Last year's inaugural contest was won by Matthew Henderson, an engagement and participation team assistant at Beamish Museum, who lives in Witton-le-Wear, near Bishop Auckland. He went onto be named Visit England's national Tourism Superstar earlier this year.

Nominations for this year's competition were open during April and May and judges have now drawn up a shortlist of five.

Voting takes place online at thenorthernecho.co.uk until noon on Friday, July 17 and the winner will be announced at the annual Visit County Durham summer garden party during the following week.

Here are the candidates. Who do you want to win?

Esther Ashby, Co-ordinator Durham Pointers
As one of the founder members of the Durham Pointers, Esther Ashby has been helping welcome visitors to Durham City since 2012.  In that time she has sourced funding for leaflets detailing what the city has to offer visitors. Last year alone the Pointers gave out more than 20,000 maps and met 70 coaches. In 2013 the group collected the bronze award for visitor information provider at the North East Tourism awards.

Jim Cole, Volunteer Tour Guide, Auckland Castle
Jim Cole is a volunteer guide at Auckland Castle. The 85-year-old has been delivering tours to small groups of visitors for the last 30 years. He has extensive knowledge of the castle, its history and particularly the Bishops of Durham. He is keen to impart his knowledge and is a regular speaker at local history groups, helping to spread word of the castle beyond its walls. He frequently entertains visitors with poetry, song and humour to bring the castle, its stories and history to life.

Lilian Groves, Senior guide, Durham Cathedral
Lilian Groves has volunteered at Durham Cathedral for the last 25 years.  Over the years Lilian, who is in her 80s, has enthused tens of thousands of people and for many has become synonymous with the cathedral with comments in the visitors’ book regularly praising her.  She is regularly asked to lead tours by name with one school from overseas booked her two years in advance.

Carl Thompson, managing director, Lickety Split
Carl Thompson, the managing Director of Lickety Split Creamery in Seaham was one of the founder members of Mission 1101, a group of local people formed to make sure the famous Tommy statue , remained in Seaham.  Tommy has gained coverage across the country and brought in visitors from across Europe. Carl also organises the annual Seaham Classic and Performance Car show and the Annual Seaham Boxing Day Dip.

Tom Wood, catering apprentice, Eggleston Hall Café and Tearoom
A catering apprentice at Eggleston Hall Café and Tearoom, Tom Wood is a second-year catering student at Darlington College, he recently challenged celebrity chef Buddy Valastro to a bake off. A key team member, and keen chef, Tom also likes meeting the public and he often helps with front of house duties and is extremely well-liked by visitors.