NEWS Special Awards: Shining lights recognised for their exceptional contributions
Brian Young
Lynn Narraway
Top honours for Young and Narraway G
UNSUNG HERO AWARD
Adventures’ UK managing director Brian Young was honoured for his
charity fundraising efforts, winning the Unsung Hero Award. The award recognises Young’s
role in spearheading a series of annual treks to raise money for the non-profit foundation Planeterra and industry charity Abta LifeLine. He has led groups drawn
from across the travel industry on hikes up Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Toubkal in Morocco, to Colombia’s lost city, Ciudad Perdida, and along the Choquequirao Trail in Peru, raising almost £150,000 for the two charities. The judges recognised Young’s
“compassion, vision and commitment” and his “unwavering belief in travel’s power to change lives”. James Howlett, UK and EMEA
sales director for Hurtigruten, which sponsored the award, also acknowledged the “ripple
travelweekly.co.uk
effect” in encouraging other companies to lead their own charity initiatives, raising tens of thousands more for good causes. Young said: “We’ve done four
treks now, so when they talked about community and bringing people from the travel industry together, it started to click [that I’d won]. I’m really shocked. “This award is about everybody
who has participated in our G for Good treks. It’s for all the effort people have put in to raising that money. This goes to them as a thank you for supporting us.” “It’s important to me because I
believe in what we do,” he added. “I believe in the power travel has
to change people’s lives. “I’ve been in the travel industry
my whole life; this is my way of giving back to the industry through Abta LifeLine, to help people when they need it the most.” Young said the next G for Good
charity trek would be the biggest yet, bringing 50 people from across the industry to hike Spain’s Camino de Santiago in April.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
L
ynn Narraway, Seabourn’s vice-president for the UK and EMEA, was presented with
the Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Tui, in recognition of her career spanning four decades. Narraway’s career began outside
the travel sector and her initial foray into it was in sales, before an acquisition led her to join Carnival Corporation. Following this deal she was appointed to lead UK operations for Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line, and has since gone on to become one of cruising’s most eloquent spokespeople. Narraway is credited with
“representing the wider sector with distinction”, including as chair of Clia’s executive committee, and is well known for supporting a range of charities and for her role as a mentor to many in the industry.
Judges said she “exudes passion
for the brand she now leads” and is “loved by many trade partners and members of her team”. After receiving her award,
Narraway said: “It feels unbelievable to win this. I’m still shaking.” Reflecting on her career, she
added: “I always wanted to be in travel. It took me a lot of applications, but when I finally managed it there was nowhere else I wanted to be. I then found my true passion in cruise.” She described the cruise sector
as “special and unique” thanks to its collaborative nature, and travel overall as an “extraordinary industry”. She added: “Although we’re
competitors, it’s a really fun business. I love mentoring young people who are coming into the industry; I would recommend anyone to join it.”
Watch our Facebook Live with Lynn Narraway: facebook. com/travelweeklyuk/videos
22 JANUARY 2026
17
PICTURES: Alex Maguire Photography
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88
