Outstanding Achievement Award
John Hays of Hays Travel has been awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Globe Travel Awards. This special award recognises someone who has made a significant contribution to the UK travel industry.
John started his business in 1980 from a small room at the back of his Mother’s children’s wear shop. Now almost 30 years later Hays Travel has 34 branches and was recognised as one of the Sunday Times 100 best companies to work in. John funded the growth of his business through its profits, establishing an ingenuity and creativity, which characterises both him and his business.
Today the company has 34 shops in the North East, call centres in Sunderland, Newcastle and Stockton, dedicated cruise shops in Sunderland and Newcastle, as well as a home working division of over 300. He also runs the Hays Travel Independence Group, a consortium for independent retailers who want to benefit from the company’s back office expertise and buying power. The company now employs over 800 people with a turnover last year being a record £350 million.
John is no stranger to winning awards, and has been publicly recognised in recent years. He won the 2002 Wearside and Durham Business Executive of the Year award, was crowned the first Entrepreneur of the Year for the Entrepreneurs’ Forum in 2004, was included in the Journal’s 500 Most Influential People in the North East for 2008 and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the travel industry’s 2008 Agent Achievement Awards.
This is the fifth time the Globe Travel Awards has presented an Outstanding Achievement Award, previous recipients David Speakman, Manny Fortenia-Novoa, Sue Biggs and Peter Long, along with John have helped shape and develop the British travel industry.
“ The Globe Travel Awards is honoured to present this award to John, said Travel Weekly Publishing Director Simon Ferguson. “John’s entrepreneurial skills have allowed Hays Travel to grow and develop, he is a tremendous leader with fantastic people and business skills which we are delighted to recognise.”
Click here to watch a reaction from John Hays on winning the award.