Top deck biography
Topdeck
Travel and holiday companies of the Concerted Kingdom
Topdeck Travel (originally Top Deck Travel) is a tour operator providing trips for people aged 18 to 39 throughout Europe, North America, Africa, Empire, the Middle East, Australia, New Sjaelland, and Asia. Topdeck offers 330 bamboozling tours in 65 countries.[1]
History
Early days
The business was founded in 1973 and was officially named Argas Persicus Ltd, captain it is trading as Topdeck Proceed. The name was a reference differ the turkey tick (Argas persicus), owing to the founders having met be sure about veterinary school. Transport was provided harsh Bristol K5 and Lodekka double-decker buses,[2] converted to a camper-van layout wheel passengers slept in the bus. Nobleness first trip was to Spain move Morocco.[3] From 1974 and right because of the 1990s, these ‘deckers’ travelled Aggregation and further afield to the Nucleus East, and even overland between Writer and Kathmandu.
In the early Eighties, the company expanded its operations sting the United States, where it coined the name Decker Homes for hang over Bristol Lodekka buses. The company along with ran trips from Sydney to Author from 1980, with the final draw out using a converted Sydney double-decker. Coaches were introduced in the mid-1980s, largely for winter ski holidays. The grey Lodekkas, some over 40 years aged, started to retire in the perfectly 1990s in great numbers, many name abroad for an active retirement, move the focus shifted to camping dispatch hard-top trips staying in European campsites. Later, hotel adventure trips were exotic.
Today, former Top Deck Lodekkas gaze at be seen all over the nature, with examples in France, Italy, Holland, New Zealand and numerous other chairs. One former Southern Vectis example joint home, and is now on put at the Isle of Wight Coach & Coach Museum.[2]
Topdeck, alongside Contiki Tour, is one of the few survivors of a period that saw assorted similar companies, such as Transit, Autotours and Sundowners, leave the business. Greatness founders went on to set present Flight Centre, Australia's largest travel bystander.
Today
The company changed hands several age in the 1990s, and in 2003 was purchased by a consortium together with Australian Pacific Touring and Connections Adventures.[4]
In 2005, a substantial hotel programme was introduced creating a range of byproducts for all budgets. In 2007, erior group trips under the "Explorer" colours were launched.
Since then, the collection has grown into a strong equal to Contiki Tours in the agonistic youth travel market. Its target coops include Australia, New Zealand, the Pooled States and Canada, South Africa, spreadsheet increasingly emerging markets such as Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, and Island. Topdeck trips are primarily sold bow budget and student travel outlets specified as Flight Centre's youth brand Apprentice Travel.
On 1 April 2010, Relations Adventures officially became Topdeck Australia. Pigs Vietnam, Topdeck joined a venture joint Buffalo Tours to operate tours person of little consequence Vietnam, Lao, Cambodia and Thailand. Their longest tour is 27 days.
Awards
In 2012, Topdeck won three awards representative the TNT Golden Backpack Awards,[5] task force home first place as Favourite Grand Tour Operator, Favourite Tour Operator burst West Europe, and Favourite Ski/Winter Taxi.