Trailfinders is a British
travel company in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
It is the largest independently-owned travel company in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, and has 39 travel centres in the UK and Ireland. The company "specialises in tailormade travel worldwide" including Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North & South America, Asia & Africa.
History
Trailfinders was founded by former
SAS-officer Sir Mike Gooley in October 1970 in an office on
Earls Court Road in west London.
In 1972 Trailfinders became the UK's first flight consolidator and advertised discounted air tickets in the national press. In 1979 the company became the first travel organiser to be IATA-licensed and to be granted an ATOL licence by the Civil Aviation Authority. In 1990 the company pioneered the concept of tailormade travel.
Trailfinders is the largest independently owned travel company in the United Kingdom and employs over 1000 staff. It has made travel arrangements for over 15 million clients and has 36 travel centres in the UK and 3 in Ireland.
Awards
Trailfinders has won many national awards.
Recent awards include:
''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...
'', ''
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, w ...
'' & The Sunday Times Travel Magazine Travel Awards - UK's Best Tour Operator 2018
''Food & Travel'' Magazine Awards 2018, 2017 - Tour Operator of the year
''National Geographic Traveller'' 2017 - Travel Experts
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' - Most Trusted 2016 and Best Package Holiday Operator 2016
''
The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' Travel Awards - Best Tour Operator 2014, 2012, 2011, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
''
Which?
''Which?'' is a United Kingdom brand name that promotes informed consumer choice in the purchase of goods and services by testing products, highlighting inferior products or services, raising awareness of consumer rights and offering independe ...
'' Awards - Best Travel Company 2015
''Which?'' Consumer Travel Survey - Best Holiday Company 2014, 2013
CLIA UK & Ireland Cruise Excellence Awards - High Street Travel Agent of the Year 2015, 2014
Ownership
Trailfinders was founded by Mike Gooley who is also the owner and executive chairman.
Gooley was named Entrepreneur of the Year in the Consumer Services category at the inaugural EY National Entrepreneur of the Year awards in December 1999. In 2006 he was appointed a
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
for his services to the Travel Industry and to charity. In 2007 he was awarded the 'Chairman's Award for Most Important Contribution to Australian Tourism by an Individual' by Tourism Australia. In 2018 the ''Sunday Times Rich List'' named him as the UK's 21st most generous giver to charity.
He was granted the rank of
Knight Batchelor for services to Business and Charity in the Queen's 2021 Birthday Honours List.
References
External links
Official website
{{Tourism in the United Kingdom
Travel and holiday companies of the United Kingdom