A new joint initiative, the Irish Travel Industry Entrepreneur of the Year Award, has been launched by the Association of Foreign Airlines (AFA), the Irish Tour Operators Federation (ITOF), and Irish Travel Trade News (ITTN), supported and independently chaired by Grant Thornton Ireland.
This award will be presented to an individual company principal or company who is a licensed travel agent or who is a supplier who sells their products or services via licensed travel agents. The judging criteria place emphasis on entrepreneurial acumen and skills, product innovation, and proven service to the Irish travel industry.
Methodology: The three partner organisations, AFA, ITOF and ITTN, have already separately each put forward three nominees for consideration. These nine nominations were then discussed by organisation representatives at a meeting in the offices of Grant Thornton – and three nominees have been shortlisted.
A brief questionnaire has also been agreed and the three shortlisted nominees will soon receive this from Grant Thornton. Each partner organisation will then use an agreed weighted scoring system to judge these submissions, the results will be independently and confidentially collated by Grant Thornton, and an agreed winner determined.
The winning individual or company will be announced, and presented with the Irish Travel Industry Entrepreneur of the Year Award, at the inaugural Irish Travel Industry Christmas Party being held at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin 4, on Friday 25th November 2011.
This is a great inovation in these stressful times in the travel industry. Anything that brings positive attention on the great work that travel agents do is to be applauded. Well done ITTN.