Hays Travel celebrates top performers at Golden Ticket event

High-performing Hays Travel colleagues from across the UK attended the agency’s second ‘Amazing Golden Ticket Celebration’ on Wednesday (June 12).

Held at Chester’s Carden Park Hotel and Spa, the event was hosted by Hays’ owner, Dame Irene Hays, and the Hays Travel Steps to Success Team.

It aims to celebrate Hays Travel retail, virtual contact centre and Vista colleagues who have achieved consistent success in their role.

This year’s event welcomed 205 colleagues who exceeded their performance targets to qualify for a golden ticket, up from 130 at the inaugural event in 2023.

Dame Irene said: “We’re incredibly proud of all our Amazing Golden Ticket award recipients and it was a delight to welcome even more colleagues whose exceptional performance earned them a place at this year’s celebration. Well done to them all.”

Through the Steps to Success programme, introduced in May 2022, colleagues receive dedicated support from a Hays Travel’s performance coach, and those who accomplish ‘Amazing’ status in the 2023-24 financial year are hand-delivered a ‘golden ticket’ to the event, by their development coach or regional sales manager.

Tour operators donated prizes that were won on the night, including a 14-night Princess cruise for two; a seven-night Riviera river cruise; a three-night trip to New York for two, courtesy of Vista; two places on a South African safari to Elephant Lodge with Newmarket Holidays; fam trips to India (with Travelsphere and Just You) and Southern Vietnam, the Mekong Delta, Cambodia and Laos (with Titan Travel); plus holiday vouchers and other rewards.

For the first time, attendees also received an exclusive ‘I am Gold 2024’ pin badge, to wear on their uniform.

Beccy Rayner, head of foreign exchange field sales and head of Hays Travel’s Steps to Success programme, said: “We are thrilled that even more of our colleagues achieved amazing success and received the recognition that they deserve at this year’s event.

“We are very grateful to our brilliant suppliers for the incredible prizes they donated – there was so much excitement in the room as the lucky winners were announced.”

Main picture: Kelly Green, assistant head of cruise (front) with Amazing Golden Ticket holders from the north region

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