INTERNATIONAL AWARD: Paudie Healy, CEO of Universal Access, pictured after receiving the ‘Most Pioneering Inclusive Tourism Advocacy UK and Ireland’ award at the 2020 LUX Travel & Tourism International Awards.

By Michelle Crean

A local businessman who is working hard to help develop inclusion for all has won an international award.

Paudie Healy from Universal Access, who introduced Tourism for All in Ireland and works with leading experts across the world, was awarded the ‘Most Pioneering Inclusive Tourism Advocacy UK and Ireland’ at the 2020 LUX Travel & Tourism International Awards.

The awards recognise those who have dedicated themselves to offering the finest experiences, product and services in the industry. Whether established stalwarts, or up and coming newcomers, they endeavour to seek out the paragons who lead the pack and set the benchmark.

“Travel and Tourism encompasses a vast array of different businesses to creating exquisite memories for people all over the world,” Steve Simpson, from LUX Travel & Tourism awards said.

“Under the CEO, Paudie Healy, they are creating ground-breaking changes on pioneering initiatives and programmes that they are developing for the inclusion of the full human diversity of people in the tourism industry as employees and customers. Their bottom up/top down approach from working with businesses to advocating for governmental actions and policy change to deliver person centred inclusive employment and experiences is why they have been selected as winners and Universal Access are a company to watch globally for the future.”

Paudie Healy, CEO of Universal Access, said they are absolutely delighted to win and to be recognised for the impact that their work is having in the drive for global inclusion.

“In Q2 of 2020 we will be launching the Global “iMark” certification and a business growth Tourism for All sustainability programme that we will be rolling out nationally. The businesses will work through continuous development stages of the Global iMark certification for the delivery of excellence as leading inclusive employers and inclusive service providers that will deliver economical, sustainable and social benefit for the business and wider tourism industry and the country,” Paudie said.