Trailfinders Irish revenues up by 1.3%

Revenues at the Irish arm of specialist travel company, Trailfinders increased by 1.3% last year to £63.3m (€79.5m).

Newly filed accounts show that the Irish subsidiary accounted for just over 10% of Trailfinders’ global revenues in the 12 months to the end of last February.

The travel firm expanded its Irish operations last year, opening its first new office in seven years when its Limerick travel centre opened in April 2013, with the creation of 11 jobs. The firm also operates centres in Dublin and Cork.

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

However, the Irish business contributed to the group recording pre-tax profits of £26.68m — an increase of 45% on the previous year.

The group last year increased its revenues by 6% to £636m.

Trailfinders also operates in the UK and Australia and the returns show that the company’s UK operation accounted for 89% — or £567m — of the company’s business, with revenues in the Australian sector decreasing sharply by 21% to £5.5m.

The accounts do not provide a geographical analysis of profit before tax as the directors state “such disclosure would be severely prejudicial of the interests in the group”.

The numbers employed by the group last year increased marginally from 1,017 to 1,019 and the company paid a dividend of £2.5m.

Trailfinders was established by former SAS man, Mike Gooley in 1970, with a staff of four. The accounts show that during the year, the group made charitable contributions totalling £750,000 to the Mike Gooley Trailfinders Charity, whose objectives are to support medical research, community projects and Armed Forces veteran organisations. Emoluments to directors increased from £814,000 to £949,000 — £481,000 was the highest payment.