FIVE young entrepreneurs have beaten off stiff competition from throughout Scotland to be shortlisted for the finals of The Moffat Charitable Trust Awards for Travel and Tourism taking place next week in Glasgow.
The Moffat Awards recognise outstanding young business entrepreneurs who are demonstrating best practice, excellent customer service and positive economic and community impact in the Scottish travel and tourism industry. They were launched in July 2007 by The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) thanks to a significant donation from The Moffat Charitable Trust.
The Moffat Awards are named after one of Scotland’s best known names in the travel and tourism industry, Mr Jim Moffat, co-founder of A.T. Mays.
Founded in Saltcoats in Ayrshire in the 1950s as All Travel by Jim Moffat and his wife Margie, A.T. Mays grew to become, according to estimates. the third-largest travel group in the UK, eventually employing over 2,500 people.
Twin brothers Guy and Jamie McKenzie (23), founders of Blown Away, an outdoor experience company based in St Andrews, along with Raphaël Métayer (31) and Carina Neubert Favero (23), joint founders of The St Andrews Golf Experience, and Peter McLean (26) of The Foodie Company in Edinburgh, will all go through to the Moffat Award finals taking place on the 26th May.
Says a spokesperson: “The Scottish tourism industry is estimated to be valued in excess of £4billion and employs in the region of 200,000 people. Last year, PSYBT supported over 45 tourism businesses offering goods and services that enhance the community and overall visitor experience of Scotland.”
PSYBT chief executive, Mark Strudwick, said: “Our finalists have all played a leading role in enhancing the visitor experience of Scotland while making a positive economic impact on their local communities. Thanks to the generosity of The Moffat Charitable Trust we can ensure these inspirational role models, and businesses like them, are properly recognised and rewarded now, and in the future.”
Speaking on behalf of The Moffat Charitable Trust, Mr Jamie Moffat said: “These young entrepreneurs are embracing every opportunity to create and sustain successful tourism businesses in Scotland and we wish them every success in the finals.”
Dr Mike Cantlay, chairof VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation, said: “Tourism growth is critical to the future of Scotland. The imagination, drive and ingenuity of young entrepreneurs means that they have an important role to play in helping to sell Scotland to the world. I would like to wish all of the nominees the very best of luck for the finals of the Moffat Awards, something which recognises young people’s hard work within the tourism industry.”
Ends
Issued on behalf of PSYBT by Jen Nash, Panache Communications tel. 07971 466 220 Email jen@panachecommunications.co.uk. For more information please contact Margaret Gibson or Louise Moore on Tel no. 0141 248 4999 or visit the PSYBT website at www.psybt.org.uk.
Notes to editors:
Blown Away contact 07784121125 www.blownawaylandyachts.co.uk
Blown Away specialise in outdoor adventure beach and surf days including land yachting, beach kayaking, and other beach-fun activities. It is the only company of its kind to offer these activities on a commercial basis in Scotland. The company was founded by twin brothers, Guy and Jamie McKenzie. They established the business in 2007 thanks to a business loan from the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT), which helped to fund the purchase of an initial fleet of Sirocco Sprint Land Yachts.
Recognised as an extreme sport, land yachting is described as ‘combining the grace of sailing with the adrenaline buzz of motor racing’. The three wheeled land-based craft has a fixed mast and wind surfing sail, and on a long stretch of beach with good winds, can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.
The two brothers, who are qualified land yachting and outdoor sports coaching / development instructors cater for individuals, private parties including beach bride Olympics and stag Olympics, as well as corporate days out.
The Foodie Company contact Peter McLean on 0131 333 5030 or 07876 561 843 or visit www.foodieboxes.com
Graduating with a degree in hospitality management from Napier University three years ago, Peter McLean (26) launched his business The Foodie Company, with help from PSYBT in 2007.
The Foodie Company, which is based in Edinburgh, incorporates FoodieBoxes which specialises in luxury hampers, featuring the finest Scottish produce, and Foodies at Holyrood, a contemporary café which opened in August last year, located just a stone’s throw away from the Scottish Parliament. The company employs ten full-time staff.
St Andrews Golf Experience contact Raphael Metayer on t. 01334 840543 or visit www.standrewsgolfexperience.com
The St Andrews Golf Experience caters for Europeans interested in golfing holidays in the UK and tailor made packages combining golfing lessons with English speaking lessons. The company was founded by French born Raphael Métayer and Brazilian born Carina Neubert Favero in October 2008, thanks to funding from the PSYBT.
A self-confessed golfing enthusiast, Mr Métayer (31) left France five years ago to study a BA in Golf Management at Dornoch College in the North of Scotland. He then spent a further two years managing the Spey Valley Golf Club in Aviemore, prior to moving to St Andrews with the desire to start his own golf tours business. He runs the business with his partner, Carina Neubert Favero (23), an event management specialist fluent in German and Portugese, Raphaël approached Business Gateway in Fife for advice on launching the golf tours company.
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