Topdeck
Topdeck Travel is a tour operator providing trips for people aged 18 to 39 throughout Europe, North America, Africa, Egypt and the Middle East, and Australia and New Zealand. According to TourRadar, a Travel Website, "Topdeck Travel" offer 330 different tours in 65 countries.[1]
Contents
History
Early Days
The company was founded in 1973 and was originally named Argas Persicus Ltd (the name of a turkey tick, most meaningful as two of the founders had met in veterinary school), and transport was provided by Bristol K5 and Lodekka double decker buses. Later, the name was updated to a more meaningful "Top Deck Travel". From 1974 and right through the 1990s, these ‘deckers’ travelled Europe and further afield to Morocco, the Middle East, and even overland between London and Kathmandu.
In the early 1980s, the company expanded its operations into the United States where it coined the name Decker Homes for its Bristol Lodekka buses. The company also ran trips from Sydney to London from 1980, with the final stretch using a converted Sydney double-decker. Coaches were introduced in the mid-1980s. primarily for winter ski holidays. The elderly Lodekkas, some over 40 years old, started to be retired in the early 1990s in great numbers, many heading abroad for active retirement, and the focus shifted to camping and hard-top trips staying in European campsites. Later, hotel adventure trips were introduced.
Today, former Top Deck Lodekkas can be seen all over the world, with examples in France, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand and numerous other places. One former Southern Vectis example returned home, and is now on display in the Isle of Wight Bus Museum near Newport, IOW.
Topdeck, alongside Contiki Tours, is one of the few survivors of an amazing period which saw companies like Transit, Autotours and Sundowners leave the business. Unlike other companies, Topdeck pitched itself at the budget traveller and went on to found one of Australia's iconic companies - Flight Centre.
Today
The company changed hands several times in the 1990s, and in 2003 was purchased by a consortium including Australian Pacific Touring (APT) and Connections Adventures.[2]
In 2005, a substantial hotel programme was introduced creating a range of products for all budgets. In 2007, smaller group trips under the "Explorer" banner were launched.
Since then, the company has grown into a strong competitor to Contiki Tours in the competitive youth travel market. Its target markets include Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada, South Africa, and increasingly emerging markets such as Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, and Singapore. Topdeck trips are primarily sold though budget and student travel outlets such as Flight Centre, and Student Flights.
On 1 April 2010, Connections Adventures officially became Topdeck Australia.
Other Information
Awards
In 2012, Topdeck won three awards at the TNT Golden Backpack Awards,[3] taking home first place as Favourite Big Tour Operator, Favourite Tour Operator in West Europe, and Favourite Ski/Winter Operator.
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ What APT, Connections plan for rescued Top Deck. | Australasian Business Intelligence | Find Articles at BNET.com
- ↑ Golden Backpack Awards – Winners 2012 http://www.goldenbackpackawards.co.uk/winners-2012
