Dame Irene Hays hails colleagues as she receives Tourism Society Award

Dame Irene Hays paid tribute to her colleagues as she received the 2025 Tourism Society Award, recognising her “outstanding lifetime contribution to the development and success of the UK tourism industry”.

Lord Thurso, president of the Tourism Society, presented the owner and chair of Hays Travel with the award at the society’s annual president’s dinner.

Dame Irene said: “I am delighted to accept this honour on behalf of all our exceptional people at Hays Travel.

“Whether they are training our latest intake of apprentices or working in one of our 500 branches, our success as a business is down to their care for our customers and support for their local communities.”

Nominated by society member Alison Cryer, and seconded by the society’s chair Deborah Heather, Dame Irene was unanimously selected by the board in recognition of her “unwavering dedication to careers in tourism and her exemplary leadership over several decades”.

Since its founding in 1980, Hays Travel has grown to more than 500 retail outlets nationwide, achieving record turnover in the fiscal year ending April 2025.

The society said: “Dame Irene has been instrumental in the company’s growth, most notably leading the acquisition of Thomas Cook’s retail estate in 2019, saving over 2,000 jobs. Under her stewardship, Hays Travel has made nine further acquisitions, including the addition of Victoria Travel, Cruise.co, and Seascanner.”

Dame Irene added: “My thanks go to everyone at the Tourism Society for their kindness and excellent hospitality; I would particularly like to thank Alison for her nomination and Deborah for seconding.

“In my view, the UK tourism industry is the most exciting sector there is, and this event and honour are a reminder of our role as trainers and employers of highly skilled people and our value to the UK economy.”

She began her career in public service, serving as chief executive of both Sunderland and South Tyneside local authorities. She went on to hold senior roles in central government, including director general for Local Government and Regeneration, and ultimately permanent secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2008 and elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2021, recognising her commitment to training, education, and support for young people.

Lord Thurso, president of the Tourism Society, said: “The Tourism Society is honoured that Dame Irene Hays has accepted the Tourism Society Award and to count her among the distinguished recipients over the past 48 years. Dame Irene’s achievements in championing careers in tourism are truly exemplary.”

The Tourism Society Award is presented annually to individuals or organisations that have made an exceptional contribution to the development of tourism in the UK.

The award may recognise a lifetime of achievements or a significant impact within the past 12 months.

Previous recipients include Queen Elizabeth II, Ken Livingstone, Lord Thurso, Kurt Janson, Michael Portillo and Michel Roux Jr.