Dame Irene Hays climbs Sunday Times rich list

Hays Travel owner Dame Irene Hays and her family have risen in the Sunday Times Rich List after the agency surpassed £3 billion in annual sales.

Dame Irene revealed the company had reached the landmark in March, one month ahead of the end of its financial year, and the company subsequently announced it would pay out millions in bonus payments to its 4,500 staff.

Hays and her family rose from 324^th equal to 250^th place in the list with £591 million, having made her debut in 2024. This year’s figure represents a £191 million increase on last year’s.

Trailfinders founder Sir Mike Gooley, who was also in 324^th place on last year’s list, rises to 230^th place with an increase of £279 million to £679 million.

Other travel figures on the list include Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, who is in 72^nd place with £2.42 billion, easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and family, who are in 97^th place with £1.707 billion, and Jet2 founder Philip Meeson, who is in 242^nd place with £626 million.

The combined wealth of those featured in the top 350 on this year’s list stands at £772.8 billion, a 3% fall from 2024.

Topping the list for the fourth year running is industrialist Gopi Hinduja and family with £35 billion.

Other travel and hospitality-related names on the list include (main source of wealth listed):

94          Peter Harris and family, Bourne Leisure – £1.791 billion

101        Surinder Arora and family, Arora hotels – £1.67 billion

108        Stefan Olsson, Stena Line – £1.532 bilion

131=     Sir Rocco Forte and Olga Polizzi and family, Rocco Forte Hotels – £1.2 billion

195        Sir Roger and Peter De Haan, Saga – £812 million

240        Tim and Kit Kemp, Firmdale Hotels – £638 million

261        Nigel Spokes and family, Thrifty – £550 million

299        Kuljinder Bahia and family, Southall Travel – £436 million

311        Alex Langsam, Britannia Hotels and Pontins – £401 million