Now in its fourth year, the prestigious accolade will be presented at The Travel Industry Awards by TTG 2024 in September.
For the first time, finalists will be interviewed face-to-face by Dame Irene Hays and a Hays Travel/TTG judging panel at the agency’s head office in Sunderland.
This year’s winner will be able to take advantage of business support sessions with Dame Irene and members of the Hays Travel board.
Established in tribute to John Hays, one of travel’s greatest pioneers, the award aims to recognise true entrepreneurial spirit of an outstanding personality or personalities who have disrupted the travel sector.
The winner will be revealed by Dame Irene and Helen Hays during The Travel Industry Awards by TTG at Magazine London on 26 September.
THE FINALISTS…
Alexander Blunt, co-founder and COO, and Marcus Blunt co-founder and CEO, Heidi
Online ski specialist Heidi was launched by Alexander and Marcus Blunt in 2018. The half-Norwegian brothers spent many of their childhood years on the country’s slopes and founded Heidi with a mission to offer greater flexibility for booking ski holidays. Heidi’s platform enables customers to create their own ski packages, allowing users to choose from more than 6,000 accommodation options across more than 400 resorts.
Angus Drummond, CEO and founder, Limitless Travel
Diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of 22, Angus Drummond founded Limitless Travel in 2015 to empower people with disabilities to travel, both in the UK and abroad. The company, which celebrates its ninth birthday this month, has taken more than 1,000 people away to destinations across the globe and Drummond has been recognised for his commitment to championing accessibility in the travel sector.
Keith Herman, CEO and founder, Trending Travel
After starting his travel career as a 17-year-old apprentice, Keith Herman has founded and run a string of successful industry businesses in the travel agency and tour operating sectors. In November 2019 he launched Trending Travel. The social media, content creation and influencer-led brand helps generate leads and engagement for partners, including operators, tourist boards, hotels and airlines via its channels.
Cat Jones, CEO and founder, Byway Travel
Having never owned a car and holidayed on multi-stop journeys by train, boat and bus, Cat Jones founded Byway Travel in 2020 in a bid to make more people discover the benefits of flight-free travel. With an MSc in sustainable development, Jones has grown the B Corp-certified business since its launch during the Covid pandemic, with the company recently inking partnerships with a range of industry names including First Choice and Intrepid.
