After a decade at the helm of boutique hotel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith, husband-and-wife co-founders James Lohan and Tamara Heber-Percy have each been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for services to the travel industry.

An MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) is awarded for a significant achievement or outstanding service to the community.

‘It's incredible: we are very honoured to have even been nominated, let alone included in the honours list. It's a real privilege and a testament not only to the hard work we've put in to build Mr & Mrs Smith into the brand and travel club it is today, but also a credit to the whole team who have worked exceptionally hard alongside us – this simply wouldn't have happened without them.’

– James Lohan, CEO and co-founder, Mr & Mrs Smith

‘When we started work on our first guidebook 10 years ago, I never dreamed we’d one day receive this kind of recognition for the brand and the business. I’m absolutely thrilled to think that an idea dreamed up on a dreary Lake District weekend has grown into something worthy of this kind of national recognition. It’s a tribute to a fantastic team who have worked to make Smith what it is. Here's to another 10 years!’

– Tamara Heber-Percy, CTO and co-founder, Mr & Mrs Smith

James and Tamara are recognised alongside other leaders in the travel industry, including Emirates Airline president Timothy Charles Clark (KBE for services to British prosperity and to the Aviation industry) and Titanic Belfast chief executive Timothy Edward Husbands (MBE for services to Economic Development and Tourism in Northern Ireland). In total, 1,195 people received an award, with 468 made MBEs.

ENDS

Mr & Mrs Smith is an award-winning hotel website, booking service and free-to-join travel club, specialising in finding the world’s most inspiring boutique hotels.
 

The company began as a self-published hotel guidebook in 2003 and quickly became a bestseller, moving online in 2005. With James overseeing the brand and creative side and Tamara heading up website development, mrandmrssmith.com is now a boutique hotel booking service that uses innovative technology to stay at the forefront of the online travel industry, while remaining a trusted, trailblazing brand.

For more information, contact Mr & Mrs Smith's PR manager at elizabeth.rhodes@smithhotels.com / 020 8987 6980