Entrepreneurs Offered GBP100,000 Investment for Travel Industry’s Next Big Idea

LONDON -

- Nationwide Search Launched for a New Travel Business

The leading trade newspaper for the travel industry is offering a GBP100,000 prize to the individual or group with the most innovative idea for a new travel business.

Travel Trade Gazette (TTG) is offering the incredible recession-busting prize in a Dragon’s Den-style competition called The Big Idea, sponsored by Dubai Tourism.

It is open to budding travel entrepreneurs from across the UK and Ireland, with the winner announced at the glittering TTG Travel Awards at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel in September.

Competition hopefuls will have to impress a panel of four travel industry investors, who have each put up GBP25,000 of their own money and will take a stake in the winning start-up business.

The investors are: - Paul Stanyer, founder of holiday transfer company Holiday Taxis. - Christopher Photi, senior partner at accountancy and auditing firm White Hart Associates. - Jane Dyson, founder of marketing agency The Network. - Oliver Brendon, founder of ticket specialist Attraction Tickets Direct.

This is the first time the competition has been opened up to entries from outside the travel industry. Last year’s GBP100,000 investment was won by Helen Doyle and Danny Waine of wedding and honeymoon specialist Perfect Weddings Abroad.

TTG editor Lucy Huxley said: “Although the majority of banks and investors’ purse strings are tighter than ever, four new investors are demonstrating astonishing faith in the talent and ideas of the travel industry.

“Whether it’s an idea for a new online travel business, a new style of travel agency or a specialist holiday company, this is an opportunity to turn a dream into reality.”

Investor Jane Dyson, who started her career on the shop floor of a holiday company before founding The Network at a dining room table with just GBP1,000, said: “This will be a life-changing opportunity for a budding entrepreneur to leap up a few rungs of the ladder. I would have loved that opportunity.”

For rules and an entry form, go to www.ttgbigidea.com. The deadline for entries is August 3.

Note to Editors:

TTG is the leading publication for the UK travel industry, with news and features read by frontline high street travel agents through to chief executives of FTSE-100 travel companies.

www.ttglive.com

Source: TTG

For further information, please contact: Rachel O’Reilly, Tel: +44(0)7866-427870, E: Rachel at rorcomms.co.uk