Scot who was 'the architect of the modern travel industry' dies

Died: 26/10/2024

Back in 1975 Bill Munro was a frustrated 31 year old banker, his head full of new ideas, thinking of ways he could determine his own future and be his own boss. Banking was “dull and boring” he said in a later interview. While contemplating what he would like to do he decided he needed a holiday to relax and evaluate all the opportunities whirling around in his entrepreneurial mind. In the days pre Internet the UK travel industry was still a nine to five High Street retail operation.

While looking for a holiday Bill identified what would prove to be a transformational gap in the market. Sunday and evening opening hours were unheard of. Always with customer behaviour at the forefront of his thinking Bill opened his first shop in Barrhead Main Street in 1975. Of course, the shop opened evenings and weekends and soon there were queues along the high street every Saturday morning with holidaymakers planning and buying their dream holidays from Bill and his small team. The early days were tough and long, Bill would say later, but he pursued his dream with hard work, dedication and great team to support him.

Starting with just three staff, Bill was helped along the way with seed finance provided by his brother Donald, who had grown a chain of chemists in Scotland. From the first shop in Barrhead the business grew to become the biggest independent travel agent in Scotland and one of the top travel retail chains in the UK.

After a period of expansion, which coincided with a UK boom of consumers travelling abroad for their annual holidays, through the 1980s and 1990s, Bill opened shops in almost every major Scottish town and city. Bill didn’t like being called an entrepreneur.

In a 2010 interview with Insider Magazine the plain speaking Bill said: “I’m often referred to as an entrepreneur but I don’t like that term at all because I think they (entrepreneurs) take too many risks with other people’s money. I would rather be referred to personally as a good solid businessman who is more interested in being business long term rather than making a quick killing.”

Despite his success Bill remained a humble man. By 2010 Barrhead Travel was turning over £100 million annually, with 400 staff working out of 20 shops. In 2008 shops were opened in former out of town petrol stations so that customers could park free of charge and book their holiday at their leisure. Another one of Bill’s ideas.

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Barrhead Travel were certainly innovators and back in 1999 they were one of the first travel operators in the UK to launch a website. New long haul holiday packages, expanding the cruise market, chartering their own flights, and launching stores in England were all factors driving growth in the business. While the internet fuelled spectacular growth for Barrhead Travel Bill still believed that one to one contact with the customer through his retail operations were critical to future success. It was at this time that Bill introduced his daughter Sharon to the management of the business. Having built the business to become a UK behemoth in the sector, Bill was planning to spend more time on the high seas, sailing in his beloved boat “Boarding Pass” with his long standing partner of 30 years Susan. Bill and Susan got married recently.

In 2007, through a Management Buyout mechanism Bill handed over the reins of the business to Sharon Munro. Bill said at the time: “I think I have taken the business to a certain level and Sharon is taking it to a much higher level”

Bill received a lifetime achievement award at the Travel Achievement Awards in 2010 and this was after Barrhead Travel had won the Best Large Travel agent in Scotland award for the tenth consecutive year.

In 2018 Barrhead Travel, after a period of further growth, was sold to US based travel conglomerate Travel Leaders Group (TLG) for an undisclosed sum. Bill was offered an advisory role in the enlarged company after the sale. The new relationship did not work out as expected and an acrimonious public parting ensued, with Bill saying: “This was never about money – it was about much more than that, my reputation and my standing in the industry”.

With a constant focus on his staff and customers Bill Munro’s standing and reputation in the UK, and global travel industry, following his passing on Saturday October 26th, has never been greater.

He was one of the trailblazers in UK Travel and his entrepreneurial spirit, common sense approach and straight talking will ensure that he is remembered as more than a just a “good solid businessman”. Bill Munro was one of the founding architects of the modern travel industry in the UK.

Born in 1944 in Eaglesham, Bill was the second child of Alexander and Mary. His early childhood and education was hindered by a serious head injury which meant Bill missed much of his schooling between the age of seven and 11.

Bill passed away peacefully at his home in Thorntonhall after falling ill during the summer. He leaves his wife, Susan, daughters Sharon and Wendy, grandchildren Ross and Hannah together with many friends and former colleagues who will all miss him dearly.