History of Audley timeline

1991

The Beginning

Company founder and Director, Craig Burkinshaw, leaves university and guides his own small group tours around Vietnam.

1996

Asian Journeys is formed

Craig joins forces with fellow LSE-graduate John Brewer, to found 'Asian Journeys', a company specializing in tailor-made and group travel to Southeast Asia. The company's first brochure is produced and it takes on its first employee.

1998

Asia expansion

The company expands into North and Central Asia and an accompanying brochure is launched.

1999

Indian subcontinent

The Indian Subcontinent programme is launched along with an accompanying brochure.

2000

Move to Oxfordshire

Quickly outgrowing its small premises in Northampton, which was a room above a post office, the company moves to a converted barn in the rural Oxfordshire village of Stratton Audley. An online presence is established with the launch of the first website.

2001

Audley Travel is born

The name 'Asian Journeys' becomes obsolete with the creation of the company's South America programme. It is now that the company metamorphoses into 'Audley Travel' (the name relating to the place where its offices are at this time). A South America brochure is also launched in this year.

2002

Website updated

The original website design is superseded by something more up-to-date.

2003

Wanderlust award

Going from strength-to-strength, the following new brochures are created: Africa Safari; North Africa and Arabia; New Zealand; Galapagos Islands. The company also receive their first ever award, which is from Wanderlust magazine.

2005

Australia brochure launched

A new Australia brochure is launched and the company wins the following awards: Wanderlust magazine 'Best Tour Operator'; Sunday Times 'Best Small Companies to Work for'; AITO award for outstanding service.

2006

Best Small Tour Operator

Audley moves to the New Mill in Witney, Oxfordshire, a handsome converted blanket mill on the banks of the River Windrush. The company wins the following awards: Guardian/Observer 'Best Small Tour Operator 2006'; Sunday Times 'Best Small Companies to Work for'.

2007

Best Luxury Tour Operator

The following new brochures are launched: Canada, Alaska and the Arctic; Antarctica; Madagascar. The company wins the following awards: Guardian/Observer 'Best Small Tour Operator 2007'; Sunday Times 'Best Small Companies to Work for'; Telegraph Green Travel Awards 'Best Luxury Tour Operator'; Wanderlust magazine 'Finalist for Best Tour Operator'; AITO 3-stars award for Responsible Travel.

2008

New updated website

A new updated website is launched. The company wins the following awards: Guardian/Observer 'Best Small Tour Operator 2008': Wanderlust magazine bronze award for website; Wanderlust magazine 'Best Tour Operator of 2008'; AITO 5-stars award for Responsible Travel; Tourism New Zealand 'Specialist Recognition award'; 'Friends of Thailand' award.

2009

Awarded 'Best website 2009'

The new incarnation of the website is launched. The company wins the following awards: Wanderlust magazine 'Best Tour Operator of 2009'; Wanderlust Travel Awards 'Best Website 2009'; ULTRAS (Ultimate Luxury Travel Related Awards) 'Best Small Tour Operator Award'.

2010

Condé Nast award

The company wins the following awards: Wanderlust Travel Awards bronze award in 'Best Website' category; Travolution Awards 'Best Tour Operator website 2010'; Condé Nast Traveller magazine 'Favourite Specialist Tour Operator 2010'.

2011

Top website gold award

Wanderlust Travel Awards: silver award in 'Top Tour Operator' and gold in 'Top Website' category. We also launched an updated version of our website. This was one of the most comprehensive redesigns we have done to date.

2012

Guardian Travel award and Wanderlust Gold Award

Wanderlust Travel Awards: Gold award in 'Top Tour Operator' and silver in 'Top Website'category. Guardian Travel Awards: Third for 'Best Small Tour Operator'Travolution Awards: First for 'Best Tour Operator Website'.

2013

Hidden Beaches is launched

We continued to grow in strength with more awards flowing in, including Travolution Awards: First for 'Best Tour Operator Website'; Telegraph Travel Awards: First for 'Best Tour Operator'; we were also thrilled to be awarded the status of 'Which? Recommended Holiday Company'.

2014

US office opens in Boston

In March we opened our first US office in Boston, Massachusetts and in May our new London office in Shepherd's Bush opened for business. In June we were again awarded the accolade 'Which? Recommended Provider - Holiday Companies'.

2015

Daily Telegraph Ultratravel Awards

Continuing to expand into new destinations, we added Turkey. A new website was launched with a more modern design and easier navigation. We also won more awards including 'Best Small Luxury Tour Operator' in the Daily Telegraph Ultratravel Awards, 'Which? Recommended Provider' and our standing within the Sunday Times 100 best companies to work for continues.

2016

Italy launches

As we celebrated our 20th anniversary, we continued to be acknowledged for our service and range of trips. In September, readers of the Times and Sunday Times voted us the Best Luxury Tour Operator in the newspapers’ Travel Awards 2016. We also expanded our offering in 2016 to include Europe for the first time, launching Italy as our latest destination.

2017

Double Honours in the Telegraph Awards

In 2017, we added more European destinations to our repertoire, as we started to arrange trips for our travelers to the UK and Ireland, and France, alongside our tours in Italy. In recognition of our Europe offering, we received a Travel Weekly Magellan Award.