Telegraph Travel Awards 2012: readers' favourite travel companies 1st Trailfinders 2nd Kuoni 3rd Audley Travel What more is there to be said about Trailfinders? It has topped its category every year since the Telegraph Travel Awards began, in 1998. In my view, the secret of Mike Gooley's company lies in three key areas: a relentless and uncompromising focus on customer service, based on experienced, well-travelled and highly trained staff; a refusal to sell complicated travel arrangements through the internet; and an acute awareness of the importance of value for money. In short, it amounts to consistently excellent service at a highly competitive price - not many other companies can match that. Meanwhile, Kuoni's success story continues. In third place in 2011, this year it moves to second, an impressive achievement for a company that offers a huge selection of long-haul holidays at competitive prices. In fact, if you are looking for a winter break in a tropical resort this winter, you could do no better than to ask for one quote from Trailfinders and another from Kuoni - you are unlikely to be disappointed by either. Audley, in third place, meanwhile, is a much smaller, more specialist company offering high-end tailor-made holidays. It had a strong track record in the Far East, and has expanded to offer itineraries in most parts of the world, including, for the first time this year, the United States.