Torrilla has held senior leadership roles across Kuoni, Carrier, Jules Verne and CV Villas, as well as heading Der Touristik's specialist division before becoming Chief Executive of Dertour UK.

Dertour said Toriilla played a crucial role during his tenure in its acquisitions of Solmar Villas, as well as the Hotelplan UK stable – Explore, Inghams, Inntravel and Santa's Lapland.

Anita Lopes of CV Villas said Torrilla had been a "constant source of reassurance, guidance, and support" during periods of significant upheaval, including the Covid pandemic, Brexit and the current economic uncertainty.

Torrilla's route into the travel industry began in Gibraltar where he quit a career in banking to go backpacking. After discovering his passion for travel, he joined Falcon Holidays in London – initially in sales – before moving into product, where his language skills proved an advantage.

He subsequently held roles with Airtours and Inspirations East before joining Kuoni as head of product in 1998.

Dertour said one of the defining moments of his career came when he was made redundant while raising three children under the age of three. The experience prompted him to pursue more senior positions and ultimately led to his move to Kuoni.

Claire Ross, Dertour UK's Sustainability Director, said Torrilla had an extensive knowledge of destinations and a genuine interest in the people he encountered while traveling overseas.

"He loves to travel and to talk about travel," she said. "He can tell you about the history and culture of almost anywhere – or, at least, it feels like that. He genuinely seeks to understand people and places."

Torrilla has been working alongside Ben Boesch as joint Chief Executives of Dertour UK since the beginning of the year, with Boesch saying the level of "respect and affection" for Francis extended beyond the company's own teams and into the wider industry.

"He has been a calm yet highly effective leader through highs and lows for almost three decades, and I hope we will continue to do him proud after his retirement," he added.