More: Globe Travel Awards 2022: Full list of winners
Globe Travel Awards 2022: Live winners and reaction
Globe Travel Awards 2022: Photo gallery
Former SPAA president Joanne Dooey was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award at this year’s Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards.
The award, presented by Avis, recognised a career spanning more than 30 years, including spells at Lunn Poly, Going Places, Thomas Cook and The Co-operative Travel.
Since 2014, Dooey has owned and managed her own business, Love to Travel, and as president of the SPAA during the pandemic, was the voice of the Scottish trade while also continuing as a board member of the Advantage Travel Partnership.
The citation announcing her award noted her “energy and enthusiasm” and her role in securing “much-needed financial support which will be a lifeline for so many companies and jobs north of the border”.
Dooey said: “It has been a lifeline. It was the most important thing we did during the pandemic, building relationships with MSPs.
“It was important I’m an agent, still in the shops. I could tell them how it was.”
She said: “I never thought I would become SPAA president. I came from the counter. I’ve come to this event for years and I never in a million years thought I would get something like this. It’s amazing.”
This year’s Unsung Hero award went to Emma Ram, manager of Barrhead Travel in the Isle of Wight, for her fundraising efforts and support for clients and colleagues during the pandemic.
Ram was presented with the award by Seabourn on behalf of all those in the industry who have gone above and beyond in the past two years, particularly while facing hardships of their own.
She said: “I am in complete shock; you never think you will win an award like this. I couldn’t do any of it – running the shop and the charity work – without the support of my team, they are amazing.
“This award really does mean everything to me. It’s so lovely to be recognised.”
The third of the evening’s special awards, for Innovation in Travel, was presented by CannyApp to Hurtigruten, for its range of projects and initiatives to drive a more sustainable future for the business and cruise sector.
Anthony Daniels, general manager UK and EMEA for Hurtigruten, winner of innovation in travel, said the cruise line’s board is due to visit London, where it is setting up its HQ, and the will be “incredibly proud” when they are presented with the Globe.
“Everything we do is about sustainability,” he said. “We are incredibly conscious about the places we visit, and the communities, to make sure we are setting the path for future generations.
“We want to make sure our guests are supporting the places we go to and we are learning about the positive impact we can have. To get an award for innovation from the UK travel trade is probably one of the most prestigious we can win. It shows how important the UK market is for us and that’s never wavered even during Covid.”
More: Globe Travel Awards 2022: Full list of winners
Globe Travel Awards 2022: Live winners and reaction
Globe Travel Awards 2022: Photo gallery
