A HIGHLAND travel firm has been named the UK’s best luxury travel agency at a prestigious award ceremony.
Murray Travel picked up the award for Luxury Travel Agency of the Year at the TTG Luxury Travel Awards 2022 at a glittering ceremony in London.
The award was presented for the firm’s successes in its Inverness headquarters, which successfully navigated the pandemic while continuing to provide stellar services to customers who often found their travel plans altered due to ever-changing restrictions.
Director Scott Murray said: “We’re thrilled to have been named the UK’s top luxury travel agency. The last couple of years have been tricky for so many industries, but travel and tourism really has been impacted in a way it never has before. We strived hard to maintain the high levels of service we are known for throughout all the uncertainty, and for our team’s hard work to be recognised is truly wonderful.”
The TTG Luxury Travel Awards judging panel said: “This category was very, very close, but Murray Travel just took the prize thanks to their fantastic contribution to their community during the pandemic, and a very clear growth strategy for the future for this Scottish agency brand. Throughout the crisis period, Murray Travel worked smartly to support its customers in every way imaginable, which all helped to ensure every single review on TrustPilot during the period was at the maximum five out of five. Congratulations to this fast-growing business!”
Murray Travel has recently launched its second premises in Elgin, and a third travel boutique is set to follow in Forres later this year. In each, the customer experience is at the forefront of everything on offer.
My Murray continued: “We want our customers to enter a luxurious, holiday frame of mind from the moment they walk into one of our travel boutiques. Instead of being greeted by rows of desks and stands of brochures, they instead are welcomed with a coffee or a drink from our bar.”
“Our team isn’t driven by sales targets and we have no interest in pushing people to buy holidays that don’t fit them. Instead, we like to get to know our customers and find them unforgettable experiences abroad that they’ll be talking about for the rest of their lives.”
TTG Luxury editor April Hutchinson added: “The TTG Luxury Travel Awards celebrate travel companies and travel professionals who put customers at the heart of their business, and who have responded to the challenges of the last 12 months by making positive changes to their product, service and culture.”
“The travel industry has been through an incredibly difficult period since the pandemic started, and we were humbled by the volume and quality of entries for the awards, with all companies, including Murray Travel, showing incredible resilience to continue operations. In total, we had more than 150 entries across the luxury travel industry for the awards, and we congratulate all finalists and winners on taking home a trophy in such difficult times. They can be incredibly proud of their achievement.”
Murray Travel (formerly Inverness Travel) was established in 2014 by husband-and-wife team Scott and Sarah Murray, who added to their portfolio in 2021 with the takeover of local agencies Alba Travel and Beaver Travel. The firm operates travel boutiques in Inverness and Elgin, and will soon open a premises in Forres. Mr and Mrs Murray also co-founded Wanderluxe, a homeworking agency based in Sawbridgeworth, and Mr Murray is also a director in hospitality group, Cru Holdings.
The Murray Travel team has won numerous awards for its high quality of customer service and innovative business practices. Murray Travel is a member of ABTA, AITO and the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association. For more information, visit www.murraytravel.co.uk or head to @themurryatravel on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
