MARCH 2020 PAGE 14 ITIA AWARDS 2020


Brian Gallagher of Cork Airport with service to the industry award Marie Grenham of Grenham Travel and John Spollen of Cassidy Travel president of the ITAA,


M


arie says


Grenham she was


“completely


overwhelmed” with the industry award. Marie’s grandfather, John Grenham,


INDUSTRY AWARD: MARIE GRENHAM


started the business as a general mer- chant with bar, grocery, hardware and garage. In 1911 he procured a shipping licence for operating the North Atlan- tic Shipping route. His involvement in the travel business was indicative of the history of the time, that of large scale emigration, mainly to the United States. The business also experienced the ill- fated Titanic voyage on April 1912, tickets for which were issued and sold by Grenham Travel.


Marie’s father, Tom, took over the business in the mid¬ 1950s ably sup- ported by his wife Breda, a secretary of exceptional calibre. As a team their work reinforced the foundation of the business in preparation for large scale


industrialisation, high technology and geographical mobility; social changes which were to have a profound effect on the travel business. The late Tommy became one of Ireland’s most recogni- sable Travel Agents winning many top Aer Lingus and Travel Agent Awards. From an early age she was attracted to the travel business and would help out during school holidays. Marie worked alongside her father and mentor from the late 1970s and became MD of the company in 1999. Previous winners: 2012 Paddy Power,


2013 Con Horgan, 2014 Tanya Airey, 2015 Antonio Martin,, 2016 Eoghan Corry, 2017 Liam Keller, 2018 George Barter. 2019 Edmund Hourican and Maureen Ledwith.


S


John Spollen of Cassidy Travel president of the ITAA with Amanda Middler and Connie Georgiou of Silversea of Silversea and president of the ITAA,


ilversea have dom- inated the awards at the top end of


the cruise market. Amanda Middler and Lynda McCorry have


CRUISE ULTRA LUXURY: SILVERSEA


proven to be strong supporters of the Irish trade. Shortlist: Azamara, Crys- tal, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea,


Seabourn. Previous winners: 2011-2 Celebrity, 2013-4 Silversea; 2015 Ce- lebrity, 2016-7-8-9 Silversea.


IRELAND'S PREMIER SOURCE OF TRAVEL INFORMATION


Category sponsor Emma McHale of Hertz, with John Warr and John Booty of Wendy Wu,


W


Michael English, Valerie Murphy and Lorraine Quinn and category sponsor Charles Wilson of Germany Travel,


C


elebrity cruises have won this award wince it


was introduced in 2018. Michael English and Jo Rzymowska have been great supporters of the Irish trade over the years and Celebrity have home ported in Dublin


CRUISE PREMIUM: CELEBRITY


for the past two years. The fleet will see the addition of the high pro- file Apex this spring. Shortlist: Azamara Cruises, Celebrity


Cruises, Cunard Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Prin- cess Cruises. Previous winners: 2018-9 Celeb- rity.


endy Wu have estab- lished re-


markable visibility in Ireland in the four years


TOUR OP ESCORTED: WENDY WU


since John Booty arrived to head up the Irish operation. The China-centred tour operator has


expanded into Japan and South Amer- ica, committed to growing those mar- kets by 25pc even in advance of recent events. Business in Ireland has doubled


in each of the five years at that they have been working in Ireland. Shortlist: Discover Travel, G Ad- ventures, Insight, Riviera, Wendy Wu. Previous winners: 2013-4-5-6-7 Insight Vacations, 2018 Wendy Wu.


U


Chris Townson, Sharon Jordan and Brian Hynes of The Travel Corporation category sponsor Charles Wilson of Germany Travel and Adam Goddard of the Travel Corporation,


niworld has dominated the specialist


cruise category in the history of the awards. Sharon Jordan said “we are very grateful for all of the continued sup- port that we receive from


CRUISE RIVERCRUISE: UNIWORLD


our incredible Irish travel agents and trade partners. Shortlist: AMA, Cro- siEurope, Riviera, Uni-


world, Viking. Previous winners: 2013-4-5-6-7- 8-9 Uniworld.


Aicard Guinovart Director for Catalan Tourism in London, category sponsor Tara Magee of BA and Ruben Lopez Director of the Spanish Tourist Board office in Dublin,


T


he European City Destination award reflects sustained


interest in Barcelona. Headlines about over-tourism have not diminished the city;s draw on Irish people. The city has 39 flights a week form Dublin in summer time, 18 from Ryanair, 14 form Aer Lingus and seven from Vueling.


DESTINATION CITY: BARCELONA


Nearby Reus has 12 Ryanair flights a week and some charter services and Girona has four flights a week from Ryanair. Shortlist: Barcelona, Istanbul, Krakow, Lisbon, London. Previous winners: 2011 Barcelona/Paris, 2013-


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