Dame Irene Hays Awarded Prestigious Tourism Society Award

The Tourism Society is proud to announce Dame Irene Hays as the recipient of the 2025 Tourism Society Award, recognising her outstanding lifetime contribution to the development and success of the UK tourism industry. 

The Award was presented last night by Lord Thurso, President of the Tourism Society, at the Annual President’s Dinner in the House of Lords. Nominated by Alison Cryer MBE, and seconded by the Tourism Society’s Chair Deborah Heather, Dame Irene was unanimously selected by the Board in recognition of her unwavering dedication to careers in tourism and her exemplary leadership over several decades.

Dame Irene Hays is Chair and Owner of Hays Travel, the UK’s largest independent travel agency. Since its founding in 1980, Hays Travel has grown to over 500 retail outlets nationwide, achieving record turnover in the fiscal year ending April 2025. Dame Irene has been instrumental in the company’s growth, most notably leading the acquisition of Thomas Cook’s retail estate in 2019, saving over 2,000 jobs. Under her stewardship, Hays Travel has made nine further acquisitions, including the addition of Victoria Travel, Cruise.co, and Seascanner.

Dame Irene Hays, owner and chair of Hays Travel, said: “I am delighted to accept this honour on behalf of all our exceptional people at Hays Travel. Whether they are training our latest intake of apprentices or working in one of our 500 branches – our success as a business is down to their care for our customers and support for their local communities.

“My thanks go to everyone at The Tourism Society for their kindness and excellent hospitality; I would particularly like to thank Alison for her nomination and Deborah for seconding.

“In my view, the UK tourism industry is the most exciting sector there is, and this event and honour are a reminder of our role as trainers and employers of highly skilled people and our value to the UK economy.”

Born and raised in the North East of England, Dame Irene began her career in public service, serving as Chief Executive of both Sunderland and South Tyneside local authorities. She went on to hold senior roles in central government, including Director General for Local Government and Regeneration, and ultimately Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Her remarkable contributions to both public service and business have earned her national honours: she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2008 and elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2021, recognising her commitment to training, education, and support for young people.

Lord Thurso, President of the Tourism Society, commented: “The Tourism Society is honoured that Dame Irene Hays has accepted the Tourism Society Award and to count her among the distinguished recipients over the past 48 years. Dame Irene’s achievements in championing careers in tourism are truly exemplary.”