Alpine Travel was founded on 1st of
March 1972 to meet the needs of both local & tourist
trade by husband and wife team Bryan & Pat Owens.
Alpine Travel expanded from it’s origins in
the Market town of Llanrwst in the Conwy Valley,
operating just 6 ageing coaches to become what is
today the largest independent coach & bus operator
in North Wales. Although Pat is no longer an active
member of the management team at Alpine Travel Bryan
still occupies the position of Managing Director
ably assisted by his younger brother Chris Owens
and son Christopher Bryan Owens.
Since it’s creation Alpine
Travel has adopted a policy of expansion by acquisition
and in 1977 bought out the interests of Hughes
Bros (Llanrwst & Trefriw) Ltd another Conwy
Valley operator causing the fleet to more than
double in size. The limited company identity was
then adopted and is still used to the present day.
By this time Bryan had seen the opportunities offered
by the tourist trade and links had already been
forged with tour operators such as SAGA Holidays & Travelsphere
to name but a few. The increased vehicle capacity
and the involvement of Bryan’s brother Chris
in the business now meant that they could now develop
these links and expand the tourist operation without
neglecting the local home market. There followed
several years of consolidation and organic growth
within the company, a new operating centre being
opened in Llandudno in 1985.
A relaxation of government legislation
meant that Alpine Travel could direct efforts into
developing an excursion and tours offers directly
from a number of small sales outlets in the Llandudno
and Colwyn Bay area, in direct competition with the
very long established businesses of Royal Red tours.
This saw a rapid expansion in the size and quality
of the coaching fleet with drivers and vehicles now
being regularly committed to work on Private hire
charters, Tour operator charters as well as regular
tours and excursions.
In 1986 changes is government legislation
opened a new window of opportunity for Alpine Travel
with the deregulation of local bus service operations.This
heralded a most exciting time for Alpine Travel and
saw it’s fleet and turnover treble over the
next 10 years as it’s network of bus services
were expanded to the East and the seaside holiday
resort of Rhyl. During this period another extensive
maintenance and operating depot was opened in Rhyl.
Another local coach & bus operator,
Empire Goldstar International , was acquired in 1995.
The following year the company divested itself of
all it’s commercial bus service operations
in a 5 year deal to the then expanding British Bus
group in return for the exclusive right to all their
local private hire and excursion operation. The next
5 years saw the acquisition of another longstanding
North Wales coach operation in Blaenau Ffestiniog,
Regina Coaches from the now late Mr Tom Parry and
a spend of approximately £1,500,000 in new
coaches and buses to service the needs of an every
expanding customer base.
