Greatdays Group Travel

What Greatdays Group Travel does

Greatdays Group Travel is a UK-based specialist tour operator founded in 1985 by John Beaumont and headquartered in Altrincham, Cheshire, serving group travel organisers with customised multi-element tours for parties of 12 to 1,000+ persons across London, the UK and Ireland, continental Europe, Disneyland Paris and worldwide destinations. The company operates through two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Greatdays Holidays Ltd, which delivers a complete tailor-made booking service to retail customers and group organisers, and Greatdays Holiday Services Ltd, a BAWTA-member wholesale arm providing individual holiday elements (hotel, ferry, attractions, transport) to coach and tour operators at trade rates. Its portfolio spans 12+ distinct product categories including UK and Ireland group tours, European tours, Disneyland Paris and the new Disney Adventure World product, ocean cruises (Fred. Olsen), river cruises (CroisiEurope), worldwide destinations, UK incoming tourism, incentive and meetings, student travel, RHS garden tours, and Manchester-specific sightseeing and football tours, with transport by coach, rail, air or cruise and accommodation from budget to 5-star.

The underlying platform is a tailor-made itinerary-construction workflow supported by a trade-only booking portal for B2B buyers, rather than a packaged-tour catalogue; pricing varies by group size, duration, accommodation tier and destination, with sample tours priced from £99 per person for short UK breaks up to £1,119 per person for an 8-day Switzerland tour and quote-based custom packages. Distribution is sales-led across multiple specialised departments (UK, London, Ireland, European, Disney, Cruise and Air, Manchester Sightseeing, Manchester Football, Worldwide, Incoming, Incentive, Student), each with dedicated sales consultants reachable by phone and dedicated email.

The business makes money through three revenue streams: wholesale transaction fees on individual holiday elements sold to trade operators, retail transaction revenue on complete tailor-made packages, and specialised professional-services revenue for Disney, cruise, student and incentive groups where Greatdays assumes full responsibility for all travel elements. Financial protection is layered through ATOL license 4279, ABTA membership Y0380, TOPP cover for Republic of Ireland customers, and BAWTA trust-account protection for wholesale payments, providing a compliance-backed barrier to entry. The company has helped over 80,000 tourists since 1985, employs 11–50 staff, remains family-controlled under the Beaumont family, and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2025.

Name

Greatdays Group Travel

Legal name

Greatdays Holidays Ltd

Website

https://greatdays.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Greatdays Group Travel is a UK-based, family-run group tour operator (founded 1985) that designs tailor-made coach, rail, air and cruise holidays for parties of 12 to 1,000+ persons across the UK, Ireland, Europe, Disneyland Paris and worldwide destinations, via retail and wholesale channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Group Tour Operator Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Travel Agencies (56151), Travel Agencies (561510)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Group & Small-Group Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Leisure Retail Travel Agencies (THAKABAJ), Meetings & Group Travel Management (Corporate Groups) (THAKAMAC), Group Air, Ticketing & Travel Operations (Manifests, Rebooking, 24/7 Support) (THAHANAF), Group, Family & Multi-Generational Travel Planning (HSACAKAK)

Keywords

• Group tour operator
• Tailor-made group holidays
• Wholesale travel services
• Coach group travel
• Specialist tour operator

Headquarters

HQ city

Altrincham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Group Travel: Trade-only booking service for coach and tour operators providing single or multiple holiday elements (hotel, ferry, attractions, transport) at reduced wholesale prices
2. Retail Package Holidays: Complete tailor-made booking service for group travel organisers including all holiday and travel elements - transfers, flights, coach and rail travel, hotels, meals and sightseeing
3. Specialized Group Services: Specialized services for Disney groups, cruise bookings, student groups, incentive travel, with full responsibility for all travel elements

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Greatdays Group Travel is a specialist UK tour operator that organises tailor-made group holidays for groups of 12+ persons to the UK & Ireland, Europe, Disneyland® Paris, and worldwide destinations. Services encompass complete holiday coordination including accommodation (3-5 star hotels), ferry crossings, flights, sightseeing, coach hire, transfers, guide services, theatre tickets, and attraction vouchers. The company runs two service lines: Greatdays Holidays (B2C retail booking service for group organisers) and Greatdays Wholesale (B2B trade-only booking service for coach and tour operators).

Product overview

Greatdays Group Travel operates as a group travel tour operator offering two primary service models: Greatdays Holidays (tailor-made booking service for group travel organizers with full responsibility for all travel elements) and Greatdays Wholesale (trade-only booking service for coach and tour operators). The company provides specialized group travel packages across multiple product categories including UK & Ireland tours, European tours, Disneyland® Paris packages, ocean and river cruises, worldwide destinations, incoming UK travel for international groups, incentive and meetings travel, education and youth travel, RHS garden tours, and Manchester-specific sightseeing and football tours. The portfolio serves groups of 12+ persons across various travel modes (coach, rail, air, cruise) and accommodation standards (2-5 star hotels).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Greatdays Holidays

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80,000 tourists helped with travel arrangements since 1985
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ABTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABTA membership provides benefit of ABTA's assistance and Code of Conduct for customers. Greatdays Holidays Ltd is a member (Y0380), providing financial protection for package holiday bookings.
• ATOL (Civil Aviation Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATOL license (4279) provides financial protection for flights and flight-inclusive holidays. Under ATOL scheme, CAA ensures customers are not stranded abroad and arranges refunds if insolvency occurs.
• TOPP (Total Payment Protection)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIrish Total Payment Protection policy in compliance with The Package Holidays and Travel Trade Act 1995. Insurance arranged with Travel & General Insurance Services Limited to protect Republic of Ireland customers' prepayments.
• BAWTA (British Association of Wholesale Tour Agents)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGreatdays Holiday Services Ltd is a member of BAWTA and operates under strict code of conduct with standard hotel and customer terms. All payments financially protected via BAWTA approved trust account at Barclays Bank PLC.
• ETOA (European Tourism Association)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrade association membership for European tourism operators, enhancing industry connections and best practices.
• CTA (Coach Tourism Association)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCoach tourism industry association membership demonstrating commitment to industry standards.
• AGTO (Association of Group Travel Operators)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGroup travel operators association membership for industry representation and standards.
• P J Hayman & CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel Insurance Specialist partnership bringing freespirittravelinsurance.com to customers. No upper age limit policy. Greatdays referral partnership for travel insurance services.
• Fred. Olsen Cruise LinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreatdays Group Travel's Cruise team are experts in helping to book and get the most out of a cruise with Fred. Olsen for groups. Includes ocean cruise packages on ships like Bolette and Balmoral.
• CroisiEuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading river cruise company with 50+ fleet operating European river cruises. Greatdays offers CroisiEurope cruises including Dutch Tulips River Cruise and MS Elbe Princesse.
• Staycity AparthotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDublin accommodation partner hosting Greatdays UK operations team for familiarisation trip. Partnership for providing apartment-style accommodation for groups in Dublin.
• Hauts-de-France TourismminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism board hosting European Operations and Sales team for familiarisation trips covering destinations including Senlis, Chantilly, Amiens, Arras, and Lille.
• Tourism IrelandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational tourism organisation hosting fam trips to West Coast of Ireland for product development and relationship building with new and existing partners.
• Visit FlandersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlanders tourism board organising familiarisation trips covering WWI battlefields, Ypres, and regional attractions for product development.
• Visit WalloniaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWallonia tourism board hosted European Operations team including Paul, Tricia and Dawn for five-night familiarisation trip to the region.
• New MeridianminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism industry association holding AGM and familiarisation events that Greatdays participates in, including Manchester area tours.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Riviera Travel: UK tour operator offering escorted group tours and river cruises across Europe and worldwide. Highly comparable to Greatdays in target customer (predominantly UK leisure travellers in social clubs and associations), escorted coach-and-air product mix, and river cruise partnerships.
• Leger Holidays: Specialist UK escorted coach tour operator serving similar club, society and group organiser customers. Closely aligned with Greatdays in coach-led itineraries, UK/European destination mix, and minimum group size model.
• Just Go Holidays: UK coach holiday specialist offering short breaks and tours for groups and individuals. Directly comparable in coach-tour product, UK/European destination focus, and B2B trade relationships with coach operators.
• New Meridian: UK group travel trade association and operator community serving club and group organisers. Directly comparable customer base (group travel organisers and clubs) and overlapping product set in escorted and custom UK tours.
• Travelsphere: UK escorted tour operator offering worldwide group holidays with a similar target market of predominantly retired and group travellers. Comparable in escorted-tour product structure, ABTA/ATOL protection, and supplier contracting approach.
• Cosmos Tours: UK tour operator with escorted tours and river cruises across Europe and worldwide. Comparable in escorted group product, river cruise partnerships (e.g., CroisiEurope-type inventory), and protected customer payments via ABTA/ATOL.
• Wallace Arnold Travel: Established UK coach tour operator with similar escorted multi-day UK and European itineraries. Comparable in coach-led group product, working with similar club and association customers, and trade-only wholesale packaging.

Broad incumbents

• Trafalgar Tours: Global guided-holiday brand with a UK customer base. Overlaps with Greatdays on escorted group tours and worldwide itineraries, but at much larger scale and with a global marketing and distribution footprint.
• Saga Group / Saga Travel: Large UK travel and insurance group with deep focus on the over-50s demographic. Overlaps with Greatdays on escorted group tours but at much greater scale and with its own cruise inventory and brand-led distribution.

Others

• Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines: Norwegian-owned cruise line that is a strategic supplier to Greatdays' cruise team. Included as a channel/ecosystem peer given its role as a primary inventory provider for Greatdays' group cruise packages.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GreatdaysTravel
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatdaysTravel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/greatdays-travel-group

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Greatdays Group Travel