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Personal travel manager Judy Gillings, who has worked as a travel agent for over 55 years, was delighted on Saturday to receive an exceptional award after TravelManagers’ annual national conference.

The Barry Mayo Spirit Award is given to “someone whose everyday attitude and principles inspire and pervade the thoughts, feelings and actions of everyone at TravelManagers”.

It’s named after long-time TravelManagers chairman Barry Mayo, who retired last year after presenting the inaugural award.

Holding her trophy at the TravelManagers gala dinner in Christchurch on Saturday night, an elated Gillings said it was a great honour to receive.

“I love Barry and I wish he was here,” she told EGT Media. “I’m very glad to receive this award on his behalf!”

Inaugurating the award last year, House of Travel chief executive Joe Araullo said it was “given to someone who lives, breathes and reflects the heart and soul of TravelManagers and is open to any person who has been vital in developing, maintaining and enhancing TravelManagers’ unique culture.

“Our retiring Chairman, Barry Mayo, epitomises the values represented by the Spirit Award, which is why we were delighted to announce at the awards dinner that it will henceforth be known as The Barry Mayo Spirit Award.”

Judy Gillings certainly lives up to that sentiment.

Based in Bateau Bay, NSW, the cruise holiday specialist is soon returning to New Zealand, the land of her birth, after living and working in Australia for many decades.

Gillings switched to TravelManagers after more than 25 years working for two of the significant retail travel groups. She loves her life as a personal travel manager and has never looked back.

“I love helping out first-time travellers just as much as seeing and meeting the needs of repeat clientele,” she says.

Her career in travel has taken her to the US, Europe, Britain, Asia, Fiji, the Cook Islands and New Zealand. She has achieved Commodore status in her training with P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises, Admiral Status with Royal Caribbean Cruises training and is also a Member of the International Cruise Council Australasia.

“The biggest compliment a client can give me is their repeat business plus a referral from a friend or relative,” she says.