Scottish tour firm launched as ‘one man, one van adventure’ buys 22 coaches as demand soars

Rabbie’s Trail Burners, which was founded in 1993 and is based in Edinburgh, is purchasing the coaches to replace older vehicles and to expand its fleet size.

The company offers a range of tours across the UK, Ireland and Europe, providing departures from major cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, London, Manchester, Dublin and some of Italy’s most picturesque tourist spots. It has built a reputation for its small group, off-the-beaten-track tours.

The expansion follows a £2.44m financing package from Royal Bank of Scotland and Lombard. It will allow Rabbie’s to invest in 22 “state-of-the-art” EVM coaches, replacing older vehicles and increasing fleet capacity just in time for next summer. EVM UK is a specialist sales and after-sales agent for minibuses in the UK.

Fraser Robertson, chief financial officer at Rabbie’s Trail Burners, said: “At Rabbie’s our focus has always been on providing memorable experiences while supporting local communities and promoting sustainable travel. It’s great to have the continued support and guidance of Royal Bank of Scotland as we utilise this investment to meet the increasing demand for our tours with travellers from across the globe.”

With the new coaches adding a net eight vehicles to the fleet, the funding will support the business in broadening its product offering. As Rabbie’s continues to scale up, the business sees expansion into Europe as a “promising growth opportunity”, with plans to evolve services and further invest in its brand. With tours ranging from one to 16 days, the firm offers a broad range of options for travellers.

Alongside its expansion plans, the company has been busy supporting local communities and sustainability initiatives. Travellers can reduce their carbon footprint by more than 60 per cent by choosing a small-group tour, while the company’s self-imposed “carbon tax” has already raised in excess of £120,000 for community and environmental projects across its destinations.

Bosses said the new fleet of coaches would build on this commitment and further support those efforts.

Since it was founded as a “one man, one van” adventure, Rabbie’s has earned accolades including multiple TripAdvisor awards and British Travel Awards. This year, the business received the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, following its earlier Queen’s Award win in 2015.

Angus Johnstone, relationship director at Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “Rabbie’s Trail Burners is a shining example of a company that combines business success with a strong commitment to sustainability and community support. We are proud to support their expansion and look forward to seeing them continue to grow and make a positive impact.”

Steven Gillies, senior relationship manager at Lombard, added: “It is both the business model and ambition of Rabbie’s that we have been keen to support. It is a business that continues to make strides in the sector and we are happy to play our part to support its expansion.”