Three stalwarts of the travel industry are to be honoured for their contribution to retail travel at the Agent Achievement Awards in London on Thursday evening.
Former Lunn Poly managing director Ian Smith, AT Mays founder Jim Moffat and Stewart Travel founder Willie Stewart will each receive Outstanding Contribution Awards at the event at the Lancaster Hotel. Moffat’s son Jamie will receive the award on behalf of his father, who died in 1998.
The Agent Achievement Awards is the UK’s leading travel agent national awards programme, and is marking its 15th anniversary this year.
The recipients of the Outstanding Contribution Awards, which are sponsored by Sandals, amassed a combined total of nearly 150 years within the industry.
In addition to his time as managing director of Lunn Poly and an executive director of Thomson Travel Group, Smith has been chairman of Austravel and Crystal and served as a non-executive with companies including Sun Villas Florida Direct and the Education Travel Group.
Moffat opened his first travel agency in 1955 and built AT Mays to a 300-branch business before its acquisition by Royal Bank of Scotland and its subsequent acquisition and integration into the Carlson Travel Network and Thomas Cook portfolios. He was awarded the OBE for services to the industry.
Stewart joined the industry with AT Mays in 1961, before opening Stewart Travel Centre in 1972. He has served as chairman of Scotway and Advantage and as president of the SPAA. Stewart Travel now employs 80 staff and includes Scotlands Cruise Centre, Stewart Affinity Travel, Stewart Golf Travel and Stewart Corporate Travel.