Trailfinders Milestones
2020
October
Trailfinders named Holiday Provider of the Year at the Which? Awards 2020
August
Solihull travel centre opens
March
Winchester travel centre opens
2019
June
Milton Keynes travel centre opens
June
Trailfinders named Travel Brand of the Year at the Which? Awards 2019
June
Sheffield travel centre opens
May
Chelmsford travel centre opens
February
Booked our 16 millionth client
2018
December
Trailfinders named High Street Travel Agency of the Year at the CLIA Cruise Excellence Awards 2018
November
Trailfinders named Travel Experts at the National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards 2018 for the second consecutive year
September
Trailfinders named Tour Operator of the Year for the second consecutive year at the Food and Travel Magazine Awards
September
For the sixth consecutive year and since the inception of the awards, Trailfinders is voted Best Tour Operator by readers of The Times, The Sunday Times & The Sunday Times Travel Magazine
May
Bath travel centre opens
May
Trailfinders South African Wine Estate Garden wins a Silver Gilt medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
March
Worcester travel centre opens
2017
January
Booked our 15 millionth travel client
July
Trailfinders named 'Best Travel Operator' by readers of the Sunday Times Travel Magazine
September
Trailfinders named Tour Operator of the Year by readers of the prestigious Food & Travel Magazine.
September
Trailfinders is once again named Best Tour Operator by readers of The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sunday Times Travel Magazine. This title has been retained by Trailfinders every year since the inception of these awards.
2016
September
For the fourth consecutive year and since the inception of the awards, Trailfinders has been voted 'Best Tour Operator' by readers of The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sunday Times Travel Magazine.
March
Reading travel centre opens
Trailfinders wins 'Most Trusted Travel Brand' and 'Best Package Holiday Operator' at the Guardian & Observer Travel Awards.
Trailfinders wins 'Keep Exploring' award. Trailfinders was recognised by Destination Canada, Canada's Official Tourist Board, as a UK market leader for our innovative and inspiring Canada programme.
2015
October
Richmond travel centre opens
June
Trailfinders named 'Best Travel Company' at the Which? Awards 2015 - Awarded maximum five stars for customer service
2014
October
Voted the UK's Best Tour Operator by readers of The Times, The Sunday Times & The Sunday Times Travel Magazine
March
Saint Albans Travel Centre opens
June
Trailfinders comes top of the Which? consumer group Travel Survey 2014
Guildford travel centre opens
December
Trailfinders named High Street Travel Agent of the year at the annual awards of the prestigious Cruise Line International Association, the world’s largest cruise trade industry association.
Trailfinders voted 'Best Tour Operator' by readers of The Telegraph
2013
October
Voted the UK's Best Tour Operator by readers of The Times, The Sunday Times & The Sunday Times Travel Magazine in their inaugural travel awards ceremony
May
Trailfinders Australia Garden wins a Gold Medal and awarded Best in Show at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show
June
Trailfinders comes top of the Which? consumer group Travel Survey 2013, scoring an impressive 92%
July
Trailfinders wins Best Value Tour Operator in The Sunday Times Travel Magazine VFM 2013 Awards
2012
May
Trailfinders comes top of the Which? consumer group Travel Survey 2012, scoring an outstanding 97%
Trailfinders Australia Garden wins a Silver Gilt medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
June
Liverpool Travel Centre opens, Trailfinders 26th travel centre in the UK & Ireland
April
Chester Travel Centre opens
2011
October
Voted Favourite Specialist Independent Tour Operator by readers in The Telegraph Travel Awards 2011
May
Which? magazine readers vote Trailfinders number 1 in the UK Top Travel Companies survey
Trailfinders Australian Garden wins a Silver Gilt medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
March
Conduit Street travel centre opens in London’s West End
2010
September
Exeter travel centre opens
January
Trailfinders has been voted 'Best Tour Operator' 2010 by Wanderlust readers. 627 companies were nominated in the category so we are hugely proud of this award.
2009
October
For the third consecutive year and tenth separate occasion, Trailfinders has been awarded Best Tour Operator 2009 in the Guardian, Observer and Guardian Unlimited Travel Awards. We're also delighted to announce we've scooped the Best Short Break Company for 2009. We would like to thank all the readers of The Guardian & Observer who voted for us.
June
Booked our 11 millionth travel client
2008
October
Voted Best Tour Operator 2008 by readers of The Observer & Guardian
November
Voted Best Specialist Independent Operator 2008 by readers in The Telegraph travel awards
Trailfinders launches new Adventure Touring & Expedition Cruising brochure in partnership with G.A.P Adventures
May
Demise of the all-Business Class airlines – Trailfinders ensures none of its clients suffer any financial loss, rebooking and reprotecting all its clients or offering full refunds when Oasis Airlines, Maxjet, EOS & Silverjet all cease operations
Trailfinders Australia Garden wins a Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Trailfinders Specialist Round the World & Tailormade Private Touring departments are created
June
A winner in the Best Longhaul Tour Operator category in the Sunday Times Travel Magazine reader awards
January
Tristan Gooley, Trailfinders Vice-Chairman successfully completes a solo Transatlantic sail from Lanzarote to St Lucia, making him the only living person to have both flown and sailed across the Atlantic.
December
Bournemouth travel centre opens
2007
October
Voted Best Large Tour Operator 2007 by readers of The Observer & Guardian
November
Booked our 10 millionth client
Voted Best Specialist Travel Organiser 2007 by Telegraph readers
May
Tristan Gooley, Trailfinders Vice-Chairman, successfully completes a Solo Transatlantic flight covering 2,751 miles from Goose Bay, Canada to Oxford, England
The £6 million Olympic Pavilion at Trailfinders Sports Club is officially opened by Steve Pound MP on 4 May
Trailfinders Australian Garden wins Silver-Gilt medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Aberdeen Travel Centre opens
July
Launch of Trailfinders dedicated Worldwide Cruising Team
February
Trailfinders at Selfridges, Oxford Street London opens
April
Edinburgh Travel Centre opens
2006
September
Voted CoolBrand for the 3rd year
October
Cork Travel Centre Opens
May
Canary Wharf Travel Centre Opens
Trailfinders sponsors the Gold Medal winning garden - 'Fleming's Nurseries Australian Garden presented by Trailfinders' at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
March
Winner UK Leisure Air Seat Retailer of the Year at The 2006 Agent Achievement Awards
Launched 'Hotels with a Difference' brochure
June
Canterbury Travel Centre Opens
Mike Gooley awarded prestigious 'Chairmans Award for Most Important Contribution to Australian Tourism by an Individual' by Tourism Australia
February
Winner No. 1 Retail Operator to New Zealand at New Zealand Travel Awards with Air New Zealand
December
Mike Gooley is awarded CBE for his services to the Travel Industry and to charity.
August
Trailfinders Knightsbridge Opens in Harrods
April
Brighton Travel Centre Opens
Booked our 9 millionth passenger
2005
September
Named a Superbrand by the Superbrands Council 2005
Voted Best Travel Agent in The Guardian/Observer awards for seventh time - reader voted
October
Voted Best Independent Travel Specialist in The Telegraph Travel Awards for fifth time and only company to win their award every year since their inception - reader voted
March
100th Edition of Trailfinder Magazine published
June
Norwich Travel Centre opens
July
Ranked tenth largest producer of scheduled airline business in the UK
August
Cardiff Travel Centre opens
2004
September
Named a Cool BrandLeader for 2004 by Super Brands
October
Voted Best Independent Travel Specialist in The Telegraph Travel Awards for fourth time - reader voted
May
Voted Best Travel Agent in The Guardian/Observer awards for sixth time - reader voted
Ranked twelfth largest producer of scheduled airline business in the UK
December
Nottingham Travel Centre opens
Book our eight-millionth passenger
August
Covent Garden Travel Centre opens as a concession in Stanfords Maps and Books
2003
October
Voted Best Independent Travel Specialist in The Telegraph Travel Awards for third time - reader voted
May
Voted Best Travel Agent in The Guardian/Observer awards for fifth time - reader voted
Ranked eleventh largest producer of scheduled airline business in the UK
July
Book our seven-millionth passenger
December
Belfast Travel Centre Opens in its own right
London Longhaul and Transatlantic Travel Centres merge forming Kensington 'United', one stop travel shop.
European Department remains independent.
April
Oxford Travel Centre Opens
The Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity passes £10 million in donations
The Sunday Times Rich List names Mike Gooley as the fourteenth most generous giver to charity
2002
October
Voted Best Independent Travel Specialist in The Telegraph Travel Awards for second time - reader voted
Piccadilly Travel Centre opens as a concession in Waterstones - the largest bookshop in Europe
November
Leeds Travel Centre Opens
March
Book our six-millionth passenger
July
The Trailfinder Magazine surpasses one million print run and a mail out over 550,000
2001
October
Voted Best Independent Travel Specialist in The Telegraph Travel Awards - reader voted
Voted Best Travel Agent by Wanderlust readers
March
Belfast Travel Centre opens as a concession in Waterstones
June
Voted Best Travel Agent in The Guardian/Observer awards for fourth time - reader voted
2000
October
Book our five-millionth passenger
May
Cambridge Travel Centre opens
March
Melbourne and Perth Travel Centres open
June
Dedicated First & Business Class departments launch in Birmingham and Bristol
1999
March
London City Travel Centre opens at No1 Threadneedle Street
Book our four-millionth passenger
December
Mike Gooley is awarded 'National Entrepreneur of the Year - Consumer Products & Services'
1998
September
Trailfinders Website goes live
October
Newcastle Travel Centre opens
May
Trailfinders logo rebranded and launched
March
Sydney Travel Centre opens
June
Trailfinders 'duty office' role implemented providing 24 hour, 365 day cover for our clients
July
Voted Best Travel Agent in The Guardian/Observer awards for third time - reader voted
Book our three-millionth passenger
1997
October
Trailfinders Sports Club opens
March
Dublin Travel Centre opens
1996
May
Voted Best Travel Agent in The Guardian/Observer awards for second time - reader voted
February
Book our two-millionth passenger
Volunteer to the CAA on an official basis to be responsible for the refund or repatriation of any of our clients
suffering as a result of an airline failure
August
London Southside opens - the largest retail travel outlet in the UK at 11,500 sq ft
1995
October
Set up the Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity with a £1 million donation
May
Voted Best Travel Agent in The Guardian/Observer awards - reader voted
Authorised to start issuing Australian visas on the spot from our Visa and Passport department in Kensington
March
Birmingham Travel Centre Opens
1994
May
Open our first Australian Travel Centre in Cairns
June
Ranked fourth largest producer of scheduled airline business in the UK, outranking Thomas Cook, Lunn Poly and AT Mays
1993
May
Glasgow Travel Centre Opens
June
Set up the Clients Trust Account, protecting all client funds paid to Trailfinders
December
Bristol Travel Centre Opens
1992
July
Book our one-millionth passenger
1991
June
Open our first regional Travel Centre in Manchester
1989
May
Kensington Flagship Travel Centre opens, state of the art one stop travel shop and the largest in the UK at 8,000 sq ft
1979
May
Became the first travel organiser to be IATA licensed
Became the first travel organiser to be connected directly into the Airline Computer Reservation System
Became the first travel organiser to be granted an ATOL licence by the CAA
1977
June
Record our first profit
1972
October
Developed the sourcing and marketing of discount air tickets to the public who began to benefit from affordable worldwide jet travel. We became the first flight consolidator/travel organiser and advertised discounted air tickets in the national press, emerging as the field leaders.
1971
May
First edition of the Trailfinder Magazine published
1970
October
Trailfinders formed by Mike Gooley with a staff of four as an overland tour operator
- Avoid the Pitfalls
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- Trailfinders World Traveller Report
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We believe booking online is no substitute for one-on-one service. Between them our expert travel consultants have travelled to over 96% of the world's countries. As a result the service and advice they offer is second to none.
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