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He hails from the Valleys and is the son of a coal miner.

Now, Mike Batt is also in the running to be crowned America's best entrepreneur.

It comes after Mr Batt, who hails from Aberbargoed in the Rhymney Valley, took the title of New York's entrepreneur of the year.

He founded and chairs $21 billion global travel business Travel Leaders Group.

The national awards, run by professional advisory firm EY, is held in Palm Springs, California ,on November 18.

His New York award came in recognition of building the global travel agency group into one of North America’s largest travel companies.

(Image: SPADAFINA PHOTOGRAPHY)

From its corporate headquarters in Manhattan, Travel Leaders Group, covers both the retail and corporate travel markets.

Then known as the Carlson Leisure Group, Mr Batt led a management buy-out of the business in 2008.

He began his career as a marketeer for confectionery giant Mars, before being recruited by British Airways in the 1980s to head up its marketing division.

As well as generating gross annual sales of $21bn, Travel Leaders Group manages the operations of more than 7,000 company-owned, franchised and affiliated travel agencies in the United States, Canada, Australia, Greece, Ireland, Mexico, and the UK.

It has more than 40,000 travel agents working directly to it or under one of its brand.

Mr Batt, 63, who attended Swansea University where he gained a degree in economics and materials, said: “It was a great honour to accept this award on behalf of everyone at Travel Leaders Group, including the tens of thousands of travel agent advisors who are part of our organisation.

“Our driving force has been to continuously provide innovative technology and programmes that allow our travel agencies to thrive.

“In turn, our travel experts deliver immense value, as well as peace of mind, to corporate, leisure and luxury clients around the world. This award is a testament to the leading role that travel agents play within the travel distribution channel.”

His father worked at Elliot Colliery in New Tredegar.

Mr Batt is also an investor in high-growth potential firms in Wales, through investment fund InspireWales.

In an interview he said: "I had a big break in 1987 when British Airways had just been privatised and I was recruited to head up something called products and brands from Mars.

"So I was a consumer goods chocolate marketeer if you like and I was one of the first people to be recruited by an airline from consumer goods.

"So I set up a branding division in British Airways and did a lot of the marketing and change of product in the late 1980s early 1990s and become director of marketing in 1993.

"I then left to go to the US in 1995 to work for Alamo Rent a Car."