World is our oyster as Trailfinders’ Irish business grows

Revenues at the Irish arm of Trailfinders last year increased by 9 per cent to £82.6 million (€91.87 million).

Pre-tax profits at the specialist travel group declined marginally to £32.5 million in the 12 months to the end of February.

Group revenues totalled £813.5 million, with Irish revenues representing 10 per cent of the total.

The company said that 2018/19 “was another exceptionally good trading year” in which the business enjoyed a record turnover. For 2019, Trailfinders reports that the fastest-growing destinations include Japan, Zimbabwe, the Maldives, Borneo, Chile, Cambodia, Kenya, Jordan, Fiji and Iceland.

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The consolidated accounts for the UK, Irish and “rest of world” operations do not provide the level of profit recorded by the Irish subsidiary last year.

The group made charitable donations of £10 million to the Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity during the year.

The company was established by the former SAS man Mike Gooley in 1970 with a staff of four. Last year it employed 1,106.

The Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity’s objectives are to support medical research, community projects and armed forces veteran organisations.

The firm operates outlets in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.