Audley Travel
{{Short description|Travel and holiday companies of the United Kingdom}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Audley Travel Group Limited
| logo = Audley Travel logo.png
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| former_name = Asian Journeys
| type = Private
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| industry = Tour Operator Activities
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| founded = {{Start date and age|1996|04|25}} in Northampton, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
| founder = {{Unbulleted list|Craig Burkinshaw | John Brewer}}
| defunct =
| hq_location = New Mill, New Mill Lane
| hq_location_city = Witney
| hq_location_country = United Kingdom
| num_locations = 3
| num_locations_year = 2022
| area_served = {{Unbulleted list|UK | United States | Canada}}
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Nick Longman (CEO)|Richard Prosser (Chairman)|David Philips (CFO)|Mark Hanson (MD for UK and Ireland)|Sonal Patel (General Council and CSO)}}[https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03190720 Audley Travel Group Limited, company number 03190720] Companies House
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| revenue = £216,000,000
| revenue_year = 2018
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| assets = £59,753,000
| assets_year = 2018
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| owner = 3i
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| num_employees = 762
| num_employees_year = 2023
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| website = [https://www.audleytravel.com/ audleytravel.com]
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Audley Travel is a tour operator based in the UK in Witney, Oxfordshire, with offices in London and Boston. The company covers over 90 destinations worldwide, providing tailor-made travel.{{Cite web |last=Ltd |first=Jacobs Media Group |title=Rising demand drives Audley Travel recruitment |url=http://travelweekly.co.uk/news/tour-operators/rising-demand-drives-audley-travel-recruitment |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=Travel Weekly |language=en}} According to the Financial Times, Audley is the largest operator in this market.{{cite news |last=Blackden |first=Richard |date=December 21, 2015 |title=3i bets on high-end tourism with Audley Travel |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/4e693ec6-ea22-3453-899d-64414afefc37}}
History
Audley Travel was founded in a Northampton post office in 1996 by Craig Burkinshaw and John Brewer, both graduates of the London School of Economics. The pair originally offered tours of Vietnam, advertising in The Sunday Times.{{cite news |last=Holgate |first=Ben |date=October 9, 2014 |title=Witney travel company becomes a global holidays specialist |work=The Herald series |url=http://www.heraldseries.co.uk/business/news/11522592.Witney_travel_company_becomes_a_global_holidays_specialist}}{{cite web |date=October 3, 2013 |title=Audley Travel: Craig Burkinshaw |url=http://startups.co.uk/audley-travel-craig-burkinshaw/ |website=Startups.co.uk}}
In 2006, the company moved to its current headquarters at New Mill in Witney, Oxfordshire, and tourism executive Ian Simkins joined the company as CEO in 2011.{{Cite web |title=Travel firm books move to new base |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/938562.travel-firm-books-move-new-base/ |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=Oxford Mail |language=en}}
In 2014, the company opened an office in London and a US office in Boston, Massachusetts after it discovered 20% of its web traffic was coming from the United States.
Audley arranges holidays in more than 90 destinations, covering all seven continents. Top-selling destinations include the USA, Canada, Japan, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam and Costa Rica.{{Cite web |title=Audley Travel |url=https://www.ttgmedia.com/luxpo-assets/luxpo-virtual-sponsors/audley-travel-22 |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=TTG |language=En}}
In 2012, equity firm Equistone Partners Europe invested a majority stake in Audley Travel during a management buyout.{{cite news |title=Equistone buys stake in Audley Travel |url=http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/39923/equistone-buys-stake-in-audley-travel |publisher=Travel Weekly}} Equistone exited its investment in 2015, selling its share of the company to private equity firm 3i.{{cite news |last1=Ratcliffe |first1=Madeline |title=3i hopes Audley Travel will take off with £159m investment |url=http://www.cityam.com/231305/equistone-exits-audley-travel-and-3i-steps-in-with-159m-investment |publisher=CityAM |date=21 December 2015 |language=en}}
Awards
Awards won by Audley Travel include:
- Guardian and Observer Travel Awards 2006: Best Tour Operator (Mainstream){{cite news |date=October 7, 2006 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2006/oct/07/travelawards2006 |title=Travel Awards 2006 winners |work=The Guardian}}
- The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For 2006-2018{{cite web |url=https://www.b.co.uk/company-profile/?audley-travel-47966 |title=Company Profile - Audley Travel |website=Best Companies}}
- Telegraph Green Travel Awards 2007: Luxury Tour Operator of the Year{{cite news |last=Starmer-Smith |first=Guy |date=January 12, 2008 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/columnists/739213/Green-travel-the-winners-and-losers.html |title=Green travel: the winners and losers}}
- Guardian and Observer Travel Awards 2008: Best Tour Operator (Small){{cite news |date=October 12, 2008 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/oct/12/travel-awards2008 |title=Travel Awards 2008 winners |work=The Guardian}}
- Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Travel Awards: First Place Specialist Tour Operator 2010(1 Sept, 2010) [https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/readers-travel-awards-2010 Readers’ Travel Awards 2010]. Conde Nast Traveller.
- Sunday Times Travel Magazine Value For Money Award 2010{{Cite news |last=Magazine |first=Sunday Times Travel |title=The Value for Money awards: Sunday Times Travel Magazine |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/the-value-for-money-awards-sunday-times-travel-magazine-9l3tc07hgz8 |access-date=2022-11-30 |issn=0140-0460}}
- Wanderlust Travel Awards 2011: Best Website{{cite news |url=http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/awards/wanderlust-travel-awards/wanderlust-travel-awards-2011---winners-announced |title=Wanderlust Travel Awards 2011: Winners Announced |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825184859/http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/awards/wanderlust-travel-awards/wanderlust-travel-awards-2011---winners-announced |archive-date=August 25, 2017 |work=Wanderlust Magazine}}
- Wanderlust Travel Awards 2012, 2019 and 2022: Top Tour Operator{{cite news |url=https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/content/wanderlust-travel-awards-results-2022/ |title=Wanderlust Travel Awards 2022: The Results |work=Wanderlust Magazine}}
- Telegraph Travel Awards 2013: Best Tour Operator{{cite news |date=November 27, 2013 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/Telegraph-Travel-Awards-2013-The-winners-in-full/ |title=Telegraph Travel Awards 2013: The winners in full |work=The Daily Telegraph}}
- Guardian and Observer Travel Awards 2014: Best Tour Operator (Small){{cite news |date=November 22, 2014 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/nov/22/travel-awards-2014-the-winners |title=Travel Awards 2014 winners |work=The Guardian}}
- The Oxfordshire Business Awards 2014: Employer of the Year{{cite news |last=Quail |first=Alex |date=June 26, 2014 |url=https://www.zestdigital.com/insights/oxfordshire-business-awards-2014/ |title=Oxfordshire Business Awards 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825190023/https://www.zestdigital.com/insights/oxfordshire-business-awards-2014/ |archive-date=August 25, 2017 |website=zestdigital.com}}
- The Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards 2016 and 2019: Best Luxury Tour Operator{{cite news |date=September 17, 2016 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/italy/the-times-and-sunday-times-travel-awards-the-winners-0lj0wl67b |title=The Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards 2016 |work=The Times}}
- Telegraph Travel Awards 2016, 2017 and 2019: Best Tour Operator{{cite news |date=April 12, 2016 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/telegraph-travel-awards-2015-16-winners/ |title=Telegraph Travel Awards: your favourite airlines, hotel groups, tour operators and destinations |work=The Telegraph}}
- Sunday Times Travel Magazine Value For Money Award: 2018{{Cite news |last=Magazine |first=Sunday Times Travel |title=The Value for Money awards: Sunday Times Travel Magazine |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/the-value-for-money-awards-sunday-times-travel-magazine-9l3tc07hgz8 |access-date=2022-12-06 |issn=0140-0460}}
- Travel Media Awards 2019 and 2020: Best Customer Magazine [https://travelmediaawards.com/winners-2019/ Travel Media Awards 2019]. The Travel Media Awards.[https://travelmediaawards.com/winners-2020/ Travel Media Awards 2020 winners]. The Travel Media Awards.
- The Sunday Times Travel Magazine Best Travel Specialists 2020{{Cite news |last=Times |first=The Sunday |title=Winners announced in the Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards 2020 |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/winners-announced-in-the-times-and-sunday-times-travel-awards-2020-n7nk3pptx |access-date=2022-11-30 |issn=0140-0460}}
- Which? Recommended Provider for Escorted Tours: 2021
- Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2020: Top Tour Operator{{Cite web |date=2020-11-16 |title=The best tour operators in the world: 2022 Readers' Choice Awards |url=https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-tour-operators-world |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=CN Traveller |language=en-GB}}
- Which? Best Recommended Independent Holiday Provider: 2022{{cite news |date=December 22, 2022 |url=https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/travel-agents/article/travel-agents/best-and-worst-smallerindependent-holiday-providers-aFudu6v8PiGI |title=Best and worst smaller/independent holiday providers |work=Which?}}
- WTM Global Responsible Tourism Awards - Silver Award 2022{{cite news |url=https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/travel-agents/article/travel-agents/best-and-worst-smallerindependent-holiday-providers-aFudu6v8PiGI |title=WTM 2022: Responsible Champions Rewarded |work=TTG}}
- Wanderlust Travel Awards - Gold Winner 2023{{Cite web |title=The Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2023: The Results |url=https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/content/wanderlust-reader-travel-awards-results/?utm_source=Social&utm_medium=Share |access-date=2024-03-25 |website=Wanderlust |language=en}}
- Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2023{{Cite web |date=2020-11-16 |title=The best tour operators in the world: 2023 Readers' Choice Awards |url=https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-tour-operators-world |access-date=2024-03-25 |website=CN Traveller |language=en-GB}}
- Travel+Leisure A List 2024{{Cite web |title=A-List Travel Advisors |url=https://www.travelandleisure.com/a-list/a-list-travel-advisors |access-date=2024-03-25 |website=Travel + Leisure |language=en}}
Philanthropy
In January 2020, Audley was granted Travelife Partner status in recognition of its efforts to improve sustainability and corporate social responsibility.{{Cite web |last=Ltd |first=Travel Weekly Group |title=Audley Travel reports it is making strides... |url=https://www.travolution.com/news/travel-sectors/tour-operators/audley-travel-reports-it-is-making-strides-on-responsible-goals/ |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=Travolution |language=en}} Travelife is the leading international sustainability certification in the travel sector.{{Cite web |title=Travelife for Tour Operators and Travel Agents |url=https://www.travelife.info/index_new.php?menu=certifiedcompanies |access-date=2020-01-30 |website=www.travelife.info}}
In 2021, Audley introduced an Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) framework that identifies five areas they will focus on each year. These goals are often aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.{{Cite web |title=THE 17 GOALS - Sustainable Development |url=https://sdgs.un.org/goals |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=sdgs.un.org}}
The company created the Audley Travel for Good Fund to support several social and environmental charities around the world that align with its responsible travel approach. As of 2022, the company supports seven UN Sustainable Development Goals focused on supporting the communities and ecosystems clients and staff travel to.{{Cite web |last=Ltd |first=Jacobs Media Group |title=Audley Travel makes ‘strong progress’ on sustainability |url=http://travelweekly.co.uk/news/tour-operators/audley-travel-makes-strong-progress-on-sustainability |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=Travel Weekly |language=en}}
References
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External links
- [https://www.audleytravel.com/ Audley Travel]
- [https://www.milan.tours/ Milan Tours]