La Vida first claimed a third consecutive entry into the TTG Top 50 as Wales’s Top Agency before going on to be crowned the UK and Ireland’s No. Travel Agency at the glittering ceremony – the second to be held in Manchester.
Other big winners on the night included Thorne Travel, named both Scotland’s Top Agency and the Top Wedding and Honeymoons Agency, while Designer Travel won a staggering five places in the Top 50 across the high street, luxury, touring and adventure, and weddings and honeymoons categories.
Three Hays Travel branches made the list, and the agency was also named Top Ocean Cruise Agency of 2025. Barrhead Travel, meanwhile, took away the title of the Top River Cruise Agency and also saw one its high street shops claim in the Top 50.
Karen Marin Reyes, owner of La Vida Travel, said: "Passion and perseverance has got us to this point. We’ve won Wales for a number of years, and this year – we just got it right. We’re over the moon.
"Our customer service is really, really strong – to keep improving on that is quite difficult because we always deliver. We’ve worked a lot with the community, we just need to keep on delivering to beat all these other amazing travel agents."
Asked if La Vida could become the first agency to retain the title of the UK and Ireland’s No.1, Reyes said: "We can. We’re going to try. Next year is my big birthday so I feel we will go that extra, extra mile to get the crown again. It’s a lot of work, and if we’ve got here, other agencies can too.
How Wales’s top agency achieved TTG Top 50 stardom
"Those 12 to 13 years ago when we started, no, we probably didn’t envisage ourselves being here. The company’s come a long way. And there have been huge challenges along the way – Thomas Cook and Freedom, and Covid.
"We’ve come out the other side, stronger and busier than ever. I have an amazing team and they’re hugely knowledgeable. Our amazing tour operators have given us the knowledge, and knowledge is power.
"Nights like this prove people can still really benefit from a good travel agent. Nothing beats speaking to an actual human who is selling you your dream."
The Top 50 ceremony was once again held at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse with the support of headline partner Malta Tourism Authority, which brought along footballing legend Bryan Robson to make a celebrity appearance just yards down the road from Old Trafford where he enjoyed great success with Manchester United during the 80s and 90s.
Guests were also treated to performances by live party band Discoteca as well as the Bourbon Street Band, before an after-party sponsored by easyJet holidays.
Finalists and supplier partners will attend the first TTG Top 50 Insight Brunch event on Friday morning (25 April) at Old Trafford to hear exclusive benchmarking data and market intelligence gathered during the course of the Top 50 judging process. The resulting insight report is available exclusively to agents who registered for Top 50, and supporting suppliers.
TTG’s editorial director Pippa Jacks said: “Now into its ninth year, TTG’s Top 50 Travel Agencies continues to go from strength to strength.
"The benefits of the programme extend far beyond the ceremony, providing agents consumer-friendly recognition that helps them win new customers, and delivering valuable business insight that helps agencies strive to improve.
"Congratulations to every agency that made the shortlist, and especially to those that earned a place in the list. These are the toughest awards in the business for agents to win – but all the more meaningful because of it."
Ramsbottom’s Designer Travel became the first business to achieve five spots in the Top 50 in a single year after securing Top Agency North West and Top Touring and Adventure Agency, and placing in the Top Homeworking Agency (Large), Top Luxury Agency and Top Weddings and Honeymoons Agency categories.
Branch manager Karen Holliday said she was “in shock” following the agency’s haul, admitting the team didn’t expect to win against the tough competition.
She credited Designer Travel’s loyal customers for their consistent support, adding: “Repeat business is so important to us – without those customers, we wouldn’t be here.”
Holliday also encouraged other agents to innovate and take risks. “Try to be a bit different and diverse, change things up a little bit," she said.
Thorne Travel retained their crown as Scotland’s Top Agency for a fourth successive year, and have now made the Top 50 in each of the past eight years since they first entered in 2018. The agency was also this year named Top Weddings and Honeymoons Agency.
"It’s insane," said retail director Christiane McCorgray (pictured below). "I’m over the moon. We’ve knuckled down, there’s been good teamwork and we’ve brought back some things we’ve done in the past. We’ve done a lot of things outside of the company – teambuilding and things like that.
“Obviously, in the past four or five years, we’ve opened up new shops. Sometimes when you’re in a shop, you feel that’s it. We’re a smaller agency group but we’re always reminding staff they’re all part of the Thorne Travel family. And it has really worked. Everyone looks out for each other. Family comes first. Our focus this year is to make sure we focus on ourselves and make sure we grow as a company and as a family."
