19-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Wicklow travel firm is only Irish company on exclusive list of top 15 tour operators in world
Vagabond Adventure Tours, based in Newtownmountkennedy, has won the Travel + Leisure Magazine's World's Best Award for the second time, having first claimed the title in 2023, in the prestigious 'Tour Operator' category.
The prestigious magazine, based in New York, has a readership figure of 4.8 million and specialises in leisure travel, often featuring articles penned by well-known novelists, poets, artists, designers, and non-travel journalists.
Its 'World's Best Awards', is an annual reader survey and have been a feature since 1995. Votes added by the magazine's readers are taken into consideration to recognize and give out the honours.
Established in 2002, Vagabond Adventure Tours was founded by Rob Rankin, who had been travelling in southern Africa with his wife, Amy and was inspired by the safari and overland tours to come up with vacation tours for Ireland unlike anything that existed back then. The firm also have more relaxed 'Driftwood' package tour for those who like a more leisurely pace
Commenting on the award, Rob said: 'I am delighted and excited to announce that Vagabond & Driftwood Tours — the small-group tour operator founded by myself and my wife Amy back in 2002 — has been chosen as one of the world's best once again. Travel + Leisure selected Vagabond & Driftwood Tours as one of the 15 best tour operators on the planet in 2023.
'Now, in 2025, we have again been announced as one of the best 15 tour operators in the world. We are over the moon to receive this distinguished award for the second time. We were the first tour operator in Ireland to be awarded by Travel + Leisure. And now, we are the only tour operator in Ireland to win twice. This just adds to our sense of achievement. We feel like we have won an Oscar... no wait, two Oscars!
"These prestigious awards mean so much to us because we were nominated based on 100s of submissions from generous past guests. We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to recommend us to Travel + Leisure. Many, many different people have contributed to our success over the years,' he said.
The Wicklow tour company achieved an overall approval rating by the millions of readers of 97.32 and the award follows a major prize at the Fáilte Ireland's Employer Excellence Awards, earlier this summer.
In May, the tours company took home the best employer tour operator award at the ceremony, which celebrates businesses who have demonstrated their commitment to making the tourism industry an appealing and rewarding place to work. The awards night was held at the Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel and Spa, Co Limerick, and acted as a way of rewarding businesses who have participated in Fáilte Ireland's employer excellence programme.
