News & Events

Raphael Métayer and Carina Neubert Favero, joint founders of St Andrews Golf Experience, won the Moffat Award for best Scottish tourism business with outstanding economic and community impact, and a £1500 cash prize. An outdoor experience company, Blown Away, specialising in land and surf activities also based in St Andrews won the award for excellent customer service, and the founder of The Foodie Company Ltd in Edinburgh won the award for growth and development. The Moffat Awards were launched in July 2007 by The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust thanks to generous support from The Moffat Charitable Trust. The Awards recognise outstanding young business entrepreneurs who are demonstrating best practice, excellent customer service and positive economic and community impact in the Scottish travel and tourism industry. In 2008 Raphael and Carina approached PSYBT and were granted start-up funding which enabled them to develop a website and start trading. Since then the business has expanded rapidly. As well as offering bespoke packages combining golfing holidays with English speaking lessons, they are also organising packages and holiday bookings to golfing destinations throughout the UK. Twin brothers Guy and Jamie McKenzie (23), founders of Blown Away, won the award for best customer service and a £1000 cash prize. Based in West Sands, Blown Away specialise in outdoor adventure beach and surf days including land yachting, beach kayaking, and other beach-fun activities. The brothers established the business in 2007 thanks to a business loan from PSYBT which helped to fund the purchase of an initial fleet of Sirocco Sprint Land Yachts. Winner of the Moffat Award for personal growth and development, and a £1000 cash prize was Peter McLean. Peter started selling luxury foodie boxes from his bedroom in November 2007. With the help of PSYBT start-up and growth funding he now employs ten people between his hamper business and his deli café in Edinburgh, and has a turnover of £400,000. Current expansion plans under discussion include the opening of a second café in Edinburgh and the opening of an outside catering arm in Glasgow. The Scottish tourism industry is estimated to be valued in excess of £4billion and employs in the region of 200,000 people. Last year PSYBT supported over 45 tourism businesses offering goods and services that enhance the community and overall visitor experience of Scotland.