Entrants had until August 3 to come up with an idea, formulate a business plan and complete the online form on this site.

Now the Investors will shortlist the entrants into those finalists they wish to see pitch their ideas in the TTG boardroom overlooking the River Thames.

Finalists will come to London on September 4 to pitch their ideas to the Investors and to negotiate the level of equity in their company they are prepared to sell in return for the £100,000.

All finalists will be invited to the Grosvenor House in London on September 22 for the TTG Travel Awards, where the winner of the TTG Big Idea will be announced.

TTG will feature the winner in TTG and will follow their fortunes thereafter.

  

Meet the four investors looking for a Big Idea to invest in.

We've secured four of the travel industry's most successful entrepreneurs, who are looking to invest in a Big Idea they believe will succeed in the travel industry. Each of the four businessmen below are putting up £25,000 of their own money, so to be in with a chance of winning you need to convince them you've got what it takes to make it big.

Paul Stanyer, Holiday Taxis

Paul Stanyer started his career in 1985 as an overseas holiday rep in Corfu and subsequently embarked on a journey that saw him working in a number of roles both overseas and in the UK in the travel industry.
He came up with the idea for Holiday Taxis in 2002 and had to go through a similar process to Big Idea applicants by seeking investment to help launch the concept of the pre-booked transfer which was previously unavailable.

Holiday Taxis was launched on  January 31 2003 and has experienced significant growth each year.

The business has become a brand name within the industry and now operates services in over 70 countries globally.

The business is expanding further in 2009 extending distribution throughout Europe as part of its long term objective of becoming a truly global brand name.

Along the way the company has been recognised by the industry winning the prestigious innovation award in travel in 2006 along with the best transfer company in 2008 and also made it into the Times Fast Track 100 list in 2008 as the 44th fastest growing privately owned company in the UK.

Paul made the final shortlist by Ernst & Young as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007 and also made the final 3 of Director of the Year by the Institute of Directors in 2008.

» Read our in-depth interview here


Oliver Brendon, Attraction Tickets Direct

In 2002, when Oliver was 27, he borrowed £10,000 and set up Attraction Tickets Direct (ATD).

With hard work, dedication and innovation, it quickly became the UK’s largest US ticket broker. Within the ATD group there are now three attraction ticket brands, Dosomethingdifferent.com - a worldwide experience broker and Complete Orlando – a dynamically packaged tour operator. The company has grown organically, profitably and sustainably and always funded growth from retained profits.

In 2005, Brendon won the Omega prize for Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame Awards. In 2006, the company was ranked 18th in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list making it the fastest growing travel company in the UK and in 2008, ATD generated a turnover of £40m. In 2009, Brendon opened his first overseas office in Dublin and plans to grow the company by opening more satellite offices.

» Read our in-depth interview here


Jane Dyson, The Network

Jane Dyson started her career on the shop floor at Intasun and after several years in the industry at various levels had her big idea in 1990.
With £1,000 and a dining room table she started The Network – now the UK’s largest travel specialist field marketing company.

The company is also a serious player in many other industries and clients include Metro, London Lite, Asda, Tui, Thomas Cook, Kelloggs and Red Bull.

In 2006 she became the SHINE Business Expert of the Year, in 2007 she won a First Women Award from Real Business Magazine and this year the same magazine named her one of Britain’s 100 Most Entrepreneurial Women.

Jane sold The Network to Menzies last year but remains at the helm of a 40 strong head office team in London, an office in Dublin and access to a total UK field workforce of 7,000.

» Read our in-depth interview here


Christopher Photi, White Hart Associates LLP

Chris is senior partner in accountants and registered auditors White Hart Associates LLP, specialists to the travel industry. Chris has advised many travel companies of all sizes over the years in relation to the travel regulation licensing and bonding framework together with travel specific auditing accounting and taxation issues. He has also acted as corporate finance advisor in relation to a number of high profile travel mergers and acquisitions.

He advises a diverse selection of travel industry clients from very large organisations (he has advised five Ftse 100 companies in relation to travel regulatory matters) to the small entrepreneur owned and operated travel business. The firm currently has a portfolio of 200 plus travel clients.

He writes a regular column in TTG and is also a seasoned presenter at travel industry conferences and seminars including the Abta Travel Convention, The Abta/Law Society annual seminar, the ITT Conference, The Travel Insurance Industry Conference and The UK Bar Association and provides specific up skilling seminars to organisations such as Barclays Bank, the Civil Aviation Authority and ABTA.

He has 30 years experience in the sector and works for the practice exclusively on travel related matters.

» Read our in-depth interview here