Sunway, a 100% Irish-owned third-generation family business, is celebrating 50 years in business in 2016 – so many congratulations from the Irish Travel Trade News team!
Sunway was founded in 1966 by Roy Beatty. The company then passed to Roy’s daughter, Madeline Kilbride, in 1974 and to his granddaughter, Tanya Airey, in 1998. Tanya’s father, Jim Furlong, has remained Chairman of Sunway since 1974, her husband, Philip Airey, is a Director of the company, and her cousin, Brian McGovern, is Financial Director.
Sunway originally opened in Blackrock as a corporate and leisure travel agency, and in 1991 started tour operations, with Morocco being its first destination. The company expanded with the opening of Sunway shops throughout Dublin and also through the major development of its corporate and incentive travel business.
Sunway, now located in Dun Laoghaire, has always prided itself on bringing the best holiday destinations to the Irish market and is recognised throughout the industry as an authority on all aspects of the travel business.
Industry awards won over the years include: Best Long Haul Tour Operator, Best Specialist Tour Operator and Best Sun Holiday Tour Operator as voted for by agents in the annual Irish Travel Trade Awards. To add to the accolades, Sunway has also won Irish Travel Trade Awards for Ireland’s Favourite Travel Agent, Best North America Tour Operator, and Best Agent Friendly Company, as well as the Irish Travel Industry Award for Supplier of the Year.
Others include a Travelsavers award for Excellence in Customer Support and a Best Travel Agent award from the Blue Insurance Travel Media Awards, which are voted for by members of the media.
Tanya’s personal awards include: Image Business Woman of the Year, the 2015 ITTN Industry Achievement Award, and Irish Travel Industry Award for her contribution to the Irish travel industry.
Sunway, Ireland’s largest Irish-owned tour operator, offer the Irish holidaymaker a choice of over 70 destinations worldwide, wth programmes including: Summer and Winter Sun, Worldwide, USA & Canada, Cruise, River Cruise, Sunsail, Neilson, Mark Warner Beach Clubs, Club Med, Escorted Tours, Adventure Tours, Weddings & Honeymoons and Santa visits in Lapland.
