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SPAA president honoured for ‘outstanding commitment’

Joanne Dooey, president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, has received the SPAA award for “Outstanding Commitment to the Scottish Travel Industry 2021”.

Dooey, owner of three-branch agency Love To Travel, has been president of the association since 2019, and has been the SPAA’s spokesperson throughout Covid-19, updating members daily at the peak of the crisis and taking part in numerous media interviews to represent the industry. Among her achievements was helping to secure £5 million in grant funding for Scottish travel agencies whose trading had been severely hit by the pandemic.

The first Scottish female president of the SPAA, Dooey also spearheaded the introduction of a new agent awards and a scholarship programme to attract young talent when she first took the role. While the inaugural Sparkle awards were postponed due to Covid, president-elect Mike Tibbert plans to retain the idea.

As vice-president, she was instrumental in agreeing the return of Scotland’s largest independent travel agency, Barrhead Travel, to the SPAA in 2019 after 15 years, and as president oversaw the return of travel giant Tui to the group in 2020 after a decade and Hays Travel joining the association after acquiring Scottish-based shops which had been part of Thomas Cook’s retail estate.

Since its founding in 1921, the SPAA has grown to represent 120 members and 92 associate members.

Dooey’s award was one of several honours given out during the SPAA Centenary Awards ceremony on Thursday.

There were also special presentations made to Glasgow Airport (for outstanding support of the awards over 15 years); DFDS and Stena Line (for outstanding support for Scotland and SPAA); and to Travel Weekly (for outstanding support as an SPAA partner and for supporting the awards for 25 years.

Joanne Dooey, chair of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, presents the award to Travel Weekly Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly, for Travel Weekly's outstanding support as an SPAA partner and for supporting the awards for 25 years.
Joanne Dooey, president of the SPAA, presents an award to Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly, for Travel Weekly’s outstanding support as an SPAA partner and for supporting the awards for 25 years.

The full list of award winners are:

SPAA Centenary Airline: KLM

SPAA Centenary Tour Operator: Jet2holidays

SPAA Centenary Cruise Operator: Fred. Olsen Cruises

SPAA Centenary Hotel Group: Crowne Plaza – Glasgow

Airline Awards

Domestic Airline partner of the year: Loganair

European Airline Partner of the Year: Jet2.com

Global Airline Partner of the Year: Emirates

Tour Operator Awards

Large Tour Operator Partner of the Year: Jet2holidays

Small Tour Operator Partner of the Year: Beachcomber Tours

Luxury Tour Operator Partner of the Year: If Only

Specialist Tour Operator Partner of the Year: Wendy Wu Tours

Cruise Awards

UK Domestic Sailings Partner of the Year: MSC Cruises

Mainstream Cruise Partner of the Year: Celebrity Cruises

Luxury Cruise Partner of the Year: Silversea Cruises

River Cruise Partner of the Year: Scenic & Emerald Cruises

Hotel Awards

Hotel and Resort Operator Partner of the Year: Iberostar

Bedbank Partner of the Year: Stuba

Trade Support Team of the Year 2021: Jet2holidays

Covid-19 Crisis Champion: David Sanderson, Norwegian Cruise Lines

Environmental & Sustainability Award 2021: G Adventures

Travel Weekly Agency Awards

Leisure Agent of the Year 2021: Barrhead Travel

Corporate Agent of the Year 2021: Jigsaw Travel

Individual Agent of the Year 2021: Cheryl Henderson, Munros Travel

Endurance Awards

SPAA Ambassador for 2021: Matt Bates

Significant Contribution to the Scottish Travel Industry 2021: Edinburgh Airport

Outstanding Commitment to the Scottish Travel Industry 2021: Joanne Dooey

Glasgow Airport Airline of the year 2021: Loganair

Edinburgh Airport Award for 2021: SPAA

More: SPAA calls for industry training investment amid recruitment crisis

 

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