NEWS Special Awards: Silversea’s Peter Shanks and Tui’s Marina Snellenberg honoured


Marina Snellenberg with Manuel Butler, Turespaña, flanked by Travel Weekly Group’s Stu Parish and Lucy Huxley


Peter Shanks with Neil Swanson, Tui, Stu Parish and Lucy Huxley


Recipients ‘proud’ and ‘overwhelmed’ T


UNSUNG HERO AWARD


ui accessibility manager Marina Snellenberg won the Unsung Hero Award in recognition of her


work in ensuring travellers with additional support requirements are looked after before and during their holidays. Prior to joining the operator seven


years ago, Snellenberg had experience of what it was like to travel with a partner who needed an extra level of support as her husband Alex had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011. After Alex died, Snellenberg was


determined to use her experience and knowledge in a positive way. She now works to remove barriers


for people with accessibility needs, improving resources and driving change, which has resulted in improved customer satisfaction scores, together with awards and recognition. Snellenberg said: “This award is


very unexpected but it makes me so proud of what I have done and proud


14 23 JANUARY 2025


of Tui for taking me on board with a project and transporting that into what is it today – a solid, accessible holidays strategy that delivers results so customers can access travel. “I can’t imagine doing any other


job; this is my vocation, my passion. Of course, my experience with Alex informs what I do every day, but it’s not just about that, it’s so much more.” Snellenberg’s colleagues describe


her as “an inspirational driving force who brings a unique and enthusiastic passion to her team and helped thousands of people create lasting memories with their loved ones”. In the past year, working with


Tui’s customer experience team, she has helped implement many changes including commissioning accessibility information provider AccessAble to provide accessibility guides to 300 hotels and reducing the turnaround time for adapted room requests from 28 days to five. Snellenberg added: “There is


always more we can do and we can expand on what we have done.” The award was sponsored by


Turespaña. travelweekly.co.uk


OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD


S


ilversea UK and Ireland managing director Peter Shanks was presented with the Outstanding


Achievement Award, sponsored by Tui, in recognition of his 45-year career spanning a range of companies and sectors. After starting out in 1980


working in reservations at Cosmos, Shanks cut his management teeth at travel giants including Thomas Cook, Going Places and First Choice. Shortly after the millennium,


he turned his attention to cruise, holding positions within Carnival Corporation – notably at Cunard – before a brief move into retail and then returning to operations to lead Silversea. He is credited with playing a


significant role in the development of the UK cruise sector. In his acceptance speech,


Shanks said: “There are just two


things you need to do in work and life to succeed. The first is to never forget that people are at the heart of your business. The second is to have integrity in everything you do and to always do the right thing. If you do that, you’ll go far.” Later, he said: “I’m a bit


overwhelmed. I’ve watched people win this award over the years and it comes as a bit of a surprise. “When I look back and reflect,


I think how lucky I’ve been to work with wonderful brands and wonderful people in my career. And I’m not finished yet – I’m still learning new things all the time.” He added: “This is for all the


people who have supported me over many years, and of course for my family. I still believe that people are what really make the difference.”


Watch our Facebook Live with Peter Shanks at the Globes: facebook. com/travelweeklyuk/videos


PICTURES: Steve Dunlop


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