‘Commercial travel helped the Queen step up – and stand out – on a global stage’
Daniel PearceWhen the original editor of Travel Trade Gazette, the late Ted Kirkham, turned 100 in 2019, he was immensely proud of the message he received from the Queen.
He knew that Queen Elizabeth II’s lifetime had run very much in parallel with his own, her coronation in June 1953 coming just three months after the inception of TTG.
Travel always played a huge role in the life of the Queen, with most commentators in agreement that she was the most travelled monarch of all time – not just of the United Kingdom, but of any nation in history.
While Ted and the original, growing team at TTG had ringside seats during the "golden age of travel" in the 1950s and 1960s, so too did Queen Elizabeth II as the first British monarch to be able to take advantage of the widespread growth in commercial aviation.
But it was the 1970s when the Queen is believed to have travelled most regularly, taking in an extraordinary 73 trips to 48 different countries across the decade.
Of course, her strongest affinity was with cruise, with the many ships she launched including her namesakes the QEII in 1967 and the Queen Elizabeth in 2010.
One of the most thrilling memories of my time as editor of TTG was watching her being escorted by then president and managing director of Cunard Peter Shanks (now managing director of Silversea) around the latter at the launch event in Southampton.
Her final foreign engagement came in 2015 when she attended a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta where, coincidentally, a member of the extended TTG team has travelled to for the Malta Pride event this weekend.
Whatever your views on the monarchy and the Commonwealth, most of us can agree the Queen’s global presence, fuelled by the travel industry, was a huge boost to the UK and remains a challenging precedent for King Charles III to maintain.
I don’t think it’s stretching a point to say that by giving the UK such a global presence, she was a flag-bearer not only for the UK but for travel too.
Judging from the many comments TTG has received in the past 24 hours, it’s no wonder the industry is united in its gratitude – and its grief – for Her Majesty today.
Dan Pearce is CEO of TTG Media.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: 1926-2022
TTG is supporting the travel industry is paying tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. If you have a personal memory of the Queen you would like to share – perhaps you met her at a function or event or were commended by her for your professional achievements – we would love to hear from you.
You can share your memories using our online form here, or by emailing: feedback@ttgmedia.com.
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