The Tourism Society board, led by chair Deborah Heather, awarded the prize to Dame Irene, chair and owner of Hays Travel, for what they described as “an unwavering dedication to careers in tourism and exemplary leadership over several decades”.
Receiving the award from Tourism Society president Lord Thurso at the House of Lords on Monday evening (20 October) Dame Irene said she accepted the award 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,” she said.
