The agency received the special parliamentary motion in recognition of its apprenticeship programme, which relaunched last month, and for “reinvigorating” the career opportunities on offer.

The motion, originally submitted by Scottish Labour’s Paul O’Kane, was supported by 16 other MSPs.

Barrhead is currently searching for more than 50 modern apprentices to join its UK-wide retail network and has partnered with Glasgow Clyde College and Northern Training on a bespoke programme combining college studies, workplace learning and group sessions.

The agency aims to have “at least one” apprentice in every store across the country and will also release further apprenticeship opportunities for head office positions.

President Jacqueline Dobson said relaunching the apprenticeship programme had been one of the agency’s “biggest milestones this year”. 

“Barrhead Travel is well-known across the industry for our passion to bring young people into travel, but it is very welcome to receive praise at government level, particularly as we have been lobbying politicians to ensure that travel and tourism careers are promoted as positive options for school and college leavers,” she said.

“The young people we employ today are the industry’s innovators and leaders of the future. No investment is more important than training for our people – even more so for young people who are starting out in the world of work and looking to employers who can nurture and inspire their careers.”