Barrhead Travel invited colleagues from across the travel industry to celebrate its 50th anniversary in Glasgow on Thursday.
The company, launched by the late Bill Munro in the Glasgow suburb of Barrhead, is now the largest independent travel group in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK.
Thursday’s celebration, held in Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket, was led by Jacqueline Dobson, who last year was promoted to President at Internova Leisure, which acquired Barrhead in 2018.
Jacqueline, who has been with the business for 25 years, told the 200-plus guests that Barrhead’s team made her ‘bust with pride’. She said: “Across every decade, every crisis and every challenge – there’s been one constant that has always driven Barrhead Travel forward – our people.
“It’s because of our amazing colleagues that we were able to rise up amidst the darkest of times and emerge by delivering record-breaking sales over the last two years. Barrhead Travel is only a success because of the people behind it.”
Guest speaker, Seabourn UK Vice President Lynn Narraway said: “Barrhead Travel is, in many ways, the mirror of the best of our industry; resilient, passionate, people first and always evolving.”
She added: “What a journey this business has had, from one small shop in Glasgow to 50 locations across the UK, plus (homeworking group) Brilliant Travel and the Cruise Specialists division and Cruise Direct too.
“From cardboard files and paper clips, to cutting edge technology, from the Munro family-run beginnings, discovering a gap in the market for a travel agency that opened in the evenings and weekends to being part of a global network.”
However, Lynn said ‘the soul’ of Barrhead had remained the same over the past 50 years: “Innovative yet people-driven and passionate about customer satisfaction.”
Lynn described Jacqueline as ‘one of the most amazing women in our industry’, adding: “She leads with both heart and soul. She has also built a culture where people can grow, learn and thrive.”
