Industry pays tribute to travel legend Harry Goodman
Tributes are being paid today for Harry Goodman, the father of modern-day low-cost travel, who has died at the age of 79.
Having left school at 16, he founded his first holiday company at 24 and went on to create the International Leisure Group empire. It owned many iconic brands including Enterprise, Intasun and Club 18-30 – and one of the first low-cost airlines, Air Europe.
ILG grew to become the UK’s second biggest tour operator behind Thomson before crashing in 1991, but not before it had brought affordable long-haul travel to the mass market.
In 1997 he founded TV Travel Shop, the first 24/7 TV channel selling holidays direct to the public.
In 2005 he bought the retail travel arm of Page & Moy and founded Totally Travel, owner of 1st4cruising.
Hugh Morgan, former managing director of Cosmos paid tribute to Harry Goodman on Twitter, describing him as ‘a great inspiration’.
Like many leading figures in the travel industry, Celebrity Cruises UK managing director Jo Rzymowska was given her first travel job by Harry. Writing on Twitter, she described him as ‘a true entrepreneur’.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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