Traveltech for Scotland says Farewell to Project Manager Lesley Judge

After three years, Traveltech for Scotland cluster co-founder Lesley Judge is moving on to embark on research relevant to the traveltech and tourism sectors.

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Traveltech for Scotland

Traveltech for Scotland says farewell this week to cluster Co-Founder and Project Manager, Lesley Judge.

Lesley, who co-founded the cluster with Traveltech for Scotland Project Director josh Ryan-Saha in May 2020, will embark on a PhD Scholarship at University of Dundee, and will be putting all of her traveltech work experience to good use, as she will be investigating the impact of digital technologies and their role in accelerating sustainable service delivery in tourism; including the impact of clusters start-up innovation. The research will respond to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 (production and consumption).

Lesley Judge, Project Manager, Traveltech for Scotland said, “I’m incredibly proud of what Josh and I have achieved over the last three years in building the Traveltech for Scotland cluster, and now through my research I hope to be able to give back to both the traveltech and tourism sectors at a crucial time for the industry in terms of meeting sustainability goals. I now have an incredible international community to call on for inroads to my research which is a fantastic way to kick off, and I look forward to keeping in contact with Josh and the Traveltech community.”

Josh Ryan-Saha, Director of Traveltech for Scotland said: “This week we at Traveltech for Scotland will see the departure of the cornerstone of our community - Lesley Judge. After devoting three years to tirelessly championing and nurturing the traveltech businesses in Scotland, Lesley is moving on to pursue her PhD.

Lesley's dedication, energy, creativity, and commitment have been instrumental in shaping the traveltech sector in Scotland, but above all, it is her strong sense of purpose and mission that has truly set her apart - helping traveltech businesses grow, innovate, and thrive.

Whether it was connecting a start up with the right mentor, designing and executing complex community events, or programme managing digital adoption projects for small tourism businesses, Lesley's hands-on involvement and leadership have driven us on. In collaboration with Interface, she has overseen more than a quarter-million pounds of academic support to the traveltech sector.

Her impact extends beyond Scotland. She helped create an international network of traveltech clusters, with a notable partnership with Catalonia serving as a testament to her efforts. These seeds of collaboration and support are already bearing fruit – we have seen more than £80 million invested in Scottish traveltech companies in the last three years.

While we celebrate these successes, I am confident that the true impact of Lesley's interventions will be fully realised over the next five years. With the strong foundation she has helped build, our companies will continue to grow, scale, and drive positive change across the tourism and hospitality industry.

I will deeply miss working with Lesley, a colleague and friend. But as she steps into the world of academia, there will be no greater intellectual advocate for traveltech and its potential for positive impact in the world.

Again, I’d like to thank Lesley for her extraordinary contributions. She has left an indelible mark on our community, and we wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavours.”

Keep in touch with Traveltech for Scotland via LinkedIn or get in touch with Josh.