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Former ABTA president Wesley Pentland dies

Former ABTA president and one of Northern Ireland’s best-loved travel industry figures Wesley Pentland has died.


Pentland, president of ABTA from 1993-1994, died at the weekend after a short illness, aged 78.


Wesley was heavily involved in the travel industry in Northern Ireland running Wesley Pentland Travel and served as a front bench spokesman for the industry in the Parliamentary Assembly. He was also ABTA Northern Ireland secretary for almost 20 years.


Wesley was also chairman of the Institute of Travel and Tourism, the first person from Northern Ireland to take the role.


Ex-ABTA president and current ITT chairman Steven Freudmann said: “Wesley was a great character who took over the reins at ABTA at a difficult time for the Association and was a particular champion of the independent agent. He will be greatly missed.”


Pentland started his career in travel at Portadown Railway Station and went on to manage Co-op Travel in Belfast before taking over Rigby Travel in Howard Street during the 1960s. He bought Rigby Travel in 1978 and later renamed it Wesley Pentland Travel.


Pentland’s other great love was The Salvation Army, where he served as divisional envoy for 55 years. He also served as a member of the Democratic Unionist Party’s Assembly team from 1982 to 1986 representing North Down constituency.


He leaves wife Yvonne and two sons Philip and Stephen. The funeral is at 11am on Thursday September 27 at The Salvation Army’s Ireland Divisional HQ, 12 Station Mews, Sydenham, Belfast.

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