The John Hays Entrepreneur of the Year Award

In tribute to one of travel’s greatest pioneers and entrepreneurs, John Hays, founder of the UK’s largest independent travel agency Hays Travel, TTG is proud to introduce the John Hays Award, recognising the true entrepreneurial spirit of an outstanding personality who has disrupted the travel industry.

Entry criteria:

Please outline in 750 words what makes you an outstanding entrepreneur. 

Judges will be looking for:

• Your personal story. Have you always been in travel?  What made you decide to launch your product/business in the last 12 months? What makes you exceptional?
• Your product/business – what research did you do in advance? How did you identify the market opportunities? How is your business/product different from competitors?
• Your growth – how has your business developed since launch? Provide evidence of this. What were your original ambitions – how did you ensure you achieved these? How do you plan to maintain your growth?
• Innovations – what makes your business unique? How do you stand out in the marketplace?
• Marketing – what budget did you have in place? And how have you managed to use this effectively to reach your target audience?
• Your business philosophy – John Hays was passionate about team morale and looking after staff.  If you have a team, how have you looked out for them over the last 12 months? What is your business culture? Any evidence of ways this has improved performance?
• Financials – we understand the pressures Covid has placed on businesses, so please provide an outline business plan for two years.
• Testimonials (as supporting evidence) - from clients or business partners.

Dame Irene Hays will present the accolade to the winning individual at The Travel Industry Awards by TTG on 30 September.

The Italian National Tourist Board LGBT+ Trailblazer of the Year

This award celebrates an individual – whether a junior employee or senior exec, straight or gay – who puts diversity and equality at the heart of everything they do to make their company and the wider travel industry at large, a more inclusive place. 

Entry criteria:

Please outline in 500 words what makes you an ambassador for diversity and equality within the UK and Ireland travel industry.

Judges will be looking for:

• Ways in which you have championed diversity and inclusiveness with both customers and/or within your workplace. Examples can include changes to marketing, recruitment, the provision of employee engagement resources etc.
• How you have championed equality within your company and ensured D&I is on your company’s agenda
• Examples of new initiatives you have introduced to support LGBT+ colleagues and/or customers

Travel Legend of the Year

A special award, presented by the TTG Media team, which celebrates a unique individual who has made a sustained and lasting contribution to the travel industry and has championed the sector during the Covid crisis. The winner could be someone who has stood up for the sector on a local, national, or international scale, or an individual who has made a unique contribution to their local community, or charity.

Entry criteria:

Please outline what makes your nomination a legend of the travel industry.

 
Judges will be looking for:

• Ways in which the individual has made a significant impact on the travel industry, or a company within the industry.
• A person who has served the industry for a number of years.
• Someone who inspires others and supports peers/colleagues to achieve success.
• A person who has been genuinely innovative in their approach to working in the industry.
• Measurable elements of personal success – for example within a company or through people who have worked with this individual then achieving great things.

To enter the awards or nominate a colleague please click here.