IT'S TIME TO RECOGNISE THE INDIVIDUALS REDEFINING THE INDUSTRY!

The Travel Industry Awards 2025 by TTG return on Wednesday 24 September to honour the trailblazing travel companies and individuals who have set new standards, outshone their competition, and embraced smarter, fairer, and better ways of working over the past year.

Individual Fairer Travel categories are now open. Celebrating the pioneers, visionaries and trailblazers in travel, these three categories are free to enter or nominate. The deadline for entries is midnight, Monday 11 August.

Wee wish you the best of luck!

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INDIVIDUAL FAIRER TRAVEL CATEGORIES

The Diversity Trailblazer Award

This award celebrates an individual – whether a junior employee or senior exec – who puts diversity and equity at the heart of everything they do, to make their company and/or the wider travel industry a more inclusive place. 

Entries should relate to actions and activities in the past year (1 March, 2024 to March 1, 2025) and you will be asked to outline in 500 words what makes you (or your nominee) a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion.

*Entries for The Diversity Trailblazer Award will close at midnight on 11 August 2025 and a shortlist of finalists will be selected.

The Diversity Trailblazer Award

Entry criteria:

This category is open to anyone working in a travel business based in the UK or Ireland. 

You can nominate yourself, or nominate a colleague or peer, but you must have their permission.

Entry tips:

You might talk about:

  • Ways in which you/they have championed diversity and inclusion to consumers, through marketing or PR or helping to create new products for example. How can you demonstrate the success and impact of your work?
  • Ways in which you/they have championed diversity and inclusion in your workplace, through inclusive recruitment processes, or creating employee networks, or providing training, or other initiatives. How can you demonstrate the impact of your work?
  • Ways in which you/they have championed diversity in the wider travel and tourism industry.
  • Focus on the entry period (1 March, 2024 to March 1, 2025).

The John Hays Entrepreneur Award

In tribute to one of travel’s greatest pioneers, John Hays, founder of the UK’s largest independent travel agency Hays Travel, this award recognises the true entrepreneurial spirit of an outstanding personality who has disrupted the travel industry.

Entrants must be the founder or co-founder of their business and be able to demonstrate how they have innovatively built their company and will deliver sustainable future growth.

*Entries for The John Hays Entrepreneur Award will close at midnight on 11 August 2025 and a shortlist of finalists will be selected. Finalists must be available on 4 September 2025 to take part in an in-person judging day at Hays Travel head office in Sunderland, during which finalists will be interviewed by a panel of Hays Travel and TTG judges and a winner chosen. 

The John Hays Entrepreneur Award

Entry criteria:

This category is open to owners/founders of travel businesses registered in the UK or Ireland.

Entry tips:

  • We prefer to recognise one individual instead of pairs or trios where possible. 
  • Include numbers, sales figures, % increases, ROI and evidence wherever possible. Judges will need to see clear evidence the business is successful and sustainable. 
  • A supporting document or a personal, bespoke video can enhance your submission, but should not contain information that’s critical to your submission

The Travel Legend Award

A special award, presented by the TTG Media team and sponsor Wendy Wu Tours which celebrates a unique individual who has made a sustained and lasting contribution to the travel industry.

The winner could be someone who has stood up for the sector on a local, national, or international scale, or an individual who has made a unique contribution to their local community, or charity. They might be a very successful business leader on their own right – but how have they gone beyond their own business to lead others, to influence the wider market, and to effect change?

*Entries for The Travel Legend Award will close at midnight on 11 August 2025.

The Travel Legend Award

Entry criteria:

Anyone in the industry is welcome to nominate a colleague or peer for this award. Please outline what makes them a legend within the UK and Ireland travel industry.

Entry tips:

Judges will be looking for:

  • Ways in which they have made a significant impact on the travel industry, or a company within the industry
  • A person who has served the industry for a number of years.
  • Someone who inspires others and supports peers/colleagues to achieve success.
  • A person who has been genuinely innovative in their approach to working in the industry
  • Measurable elements of personal success – e.g. within a company or through people who have worked with this individual then achieving great things


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