Stanley Tollman | ||
| Chairman | ||
| The Travel Corporation | ||
Location: London, United Kingdom | ||
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Stanley Tollman Biography
Stanley Tollman is the founder and chairman of The Travel Corporation, also known as TTC. TTC is a global travel company which Tollman built from the ground up. From its humble beginnings, today the company manages 25 unique travel brands to destinations across the world.
Stanley Tollman was born September 1930 in Johannesburg, South Africa. His parents owned and managed a small hotel by the name of “The Palace Hotel” as well as a restaurant. Growing up, Tollman learned firsthand about the travel and hospitality business. Upon graduating from high school, Stanley Tollman decided to attend university; however, only a year into his studies Tollman decided to leave and help his parents with the family business. It was also during this time when Tollman met his wife, Beatrice (Bea). Bea describes in her recently published memoir and cookbook, “A Life in Food” the time when the young newlyweds were just starting their lives together. She says, “[Stanley] had always dreamed of creating a famous restaurant in South Africa along the lines of the legendary restaurants and supper clubs in New York.” Together, the two leased a small hotel and split their responsibilities with Stanley Tollman managing the front of the house and Bea Tollman taking charge of the kitchen. After gaining much experience and knowledge, Stanley and his wife opened another restaurant by the name of “The Colony”, which would eventually become a famous hot-spot known for its good food and celebrity guests.
In his early 40s, Stanley Tollman moved with his wife and children to the UK where they owned a hotel and shares of a travel company named Trafalgar Tours. Trafalgar would later become the first of 25 travel brands fully owned by the Tollman family business under the name, “The Travel Corporation” (TTC). Since its founding, The Travel Corporation today has operations in sixty countries, on five continents with over 4000 employees. Because it is a private company family-owned and financially independent, The Travel Corporation has built for itself a long-term vision and strategy for its brands. Some of the more well-known travel brands under the TTC ownership include: Red Carnation (boutique hotel chain); Trafalgar Tours (European-based tours); Contiki Holidays (tours aimed at a younger 18-35 crowd); Creative Holidays (independent travel tours); AAT Kings (sightseeing day tours, escorted and independent tours); Uniworld (river cruises); Brendan Vacations (escorted, locally hosted and independent vacation packages); and African Travel (luxury African safari adventures). Stanley Tollman is the chairman of The Travel Corporation, while the company’s daily operations are managed by his son and two nephews.
TTC is firmly committed to preservation of the environment, to which end it founded the Conservation Foundation, which is fully funded and supported by the group. In a recent confirmation of its on-going commitment to the environment, TTC has entered into collaboration with the renowned conservationist Celine Cousteau. In recent interviews both Brett Tollman, CEO of TTC and the son of Stanley Tollman, founder of the group, and Cousteau expressed excitement about the partnership, and the opportunities to educate a new generation of travellers with an awareness of environmental issues. Cousteau’s closely identifies with Contiki’s commitment to marine particular focus will be on marine ecosystems.
Stanley Tollman’s 80th birthday was celebrated at the 2010 TTC International Sales Conference which took place in Cape Town South Africa. Coming full circle to where his career began and in celebration of his birthday, Stanley Tollman made considerable donations to five South African charities including The Amy Biehl Foundation, The Desmond Tutu Peace Center and the Make a Difference Foundation.