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.
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