One of the best-known names in the overseas travel sector in Scotland celebrated its 50th birthday at a dinner at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket last week, and there was much to digest when reflecting on its journey.

Of course, the old pictures which featured on the big screen were fairly splendid.

And it was somewhat astonishing to hear the price of a week’s holiday in Majorca in 1979 was £50.

However, what really hit home as the story of the first 50 years was told was the astute and entrepreneurial decision-making of Barrhead Travel’s founder, the late Bill Munro, at various key stages of the development of the business. These included, from Barrhead Travel’s earliest days, opening when others were closed, something that was a driver of the establishment of the business in the first place, and Mr Munro’s embracing of the internet when it brought major change to the sector.

In many ways, it appears Mr Munro built the business by making the right decisions and doing relatively simple things very well indeed.

That might sound straightforward enough. However, that is from the position of reflecting on the story of Barrhead Travel from where it is now, having observed the various key stages.

What is clear is that Mr Munro had tremendous vision, assessing trends in the sector and reacting shrewdly and at times boldly. The wisdom of the decisions and strategy that paved the way for the creation of what is now a major UK-wide travel agent, from a single shop in Barrhead on the outskirts of Glasgow in 1975, might seem apparent enough with hindsight.

However, Mr Munro did not have the benefit of hindsight as he........

© Herald Scotland