Budget Travel icon Gillian Bowler described as ‘ahead of her time’

Tributes were yesterday paid to businesswoman Gillian Bowler, who has died aged 64.

The co-founder of Budget Travel, Ms Bowler also served as chairwoman of Irish Life and Permanent and was the founding chairperson of Fáilte Ireland.

Ms Bowler and her husband, Harry Sydner, founded package holiday company Budget Trave in 1975, before selling a 90% stake in it to UK group Granada in 1987. The remaining 10% was sold in 1996. She was non-executive chairwoman of the company until 2007.