The owner of Scottish agency Beaver Travel has died following a car crash.
Ian Widdowson, 59, ran two agencies in Forres and Elgin after taking over the firm with his wife Fiona in 1999.
He was a passenger in one of two Volkswagen Polos which collided near Kinloss on New Year’s Day, local newspaper the Press and Journal reported.
Widdowson managed to escape the car before it burst into flames, but police confirmed yesterday that he later died.
The driver of the other car – 24-year-old Daniel Gordon – died at the scene.
Widdowson was well-known in the travel industry and was named the Tipto Independent Proprietor of the Year in Travel Weekly’s Agent Achievement Awards in 2009.
A member of staff at Beaver Travel’s Forres branch, who did not wish to be named, said: “We are all utterly shocked and will really miss him.
“We are a close-knit team here and it is just devastating.”
Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) president Alan Glen said the organisation was “taken aback and saddened” to hear of Widdowson’s death.
“Ian was a well-respected and longstanding member and supporter of the association and would regularly travel down to meetings, even though it was not a short journey,” he said.
“We are very sad to learn of his death and completely taken aback.
“Our thoughts are with Ian’s family at this very difficult time.”