The Original Tour
The Original Tour is a London-based sightseeing operator running Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours across four routes covering 50-plus landmarks, selling tickets directly to tourists via its website and bundling with Merlin attractions, river cruises, and walking tours.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1951
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Original Tour does
The Original Tour is a London-based sightseeing operator running Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours aboard classic red open-top double-decker buses across four routes covering more than 50 landmarks and four Thames river piers. Founded in 1951 and claiming heritage as the world's first sightseeing tour operator, the company operates a fleet offering multilingual audio commentary in 10 languages, free 5G Wi-Fi on board, and digital ticket delivery via PDF, Apple Wallet, and Google Wallet. The product portfolio consists of three core tour tiers (Half-a-Crown single-trip, Deluxe 1-3 day, Deluxe 7 day), three premium bundled packages (London Skyline Experience, Ultimate London Experience, All-Inclusive London Experience incorporating five Merlin attractions), and three specialized live-guided experiences (Kids Tour, By Night Tour, Christmas Lights Tour). The business is a wholly-owned subsidiary of FirstGroup plc, a publicly-listed UK transport group, with shared corporate functions including data protection oversight.
The Original Tour generates revenue through direct-to-consumer ticket sales priced from £20.99 to £109 per ticket, distributed primarily through its own e-commerce website (theoriginaltour.com) backed by the Ventrata booking platform, with phone support as a secondary channel. The core customer segments are international and domestic tourists visiting London and families with children; marketing runs through organic and paid channels on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Google. Partnerships with Merlin Entertainments, UberBoats by Thames Clippers, the London Cable Car, and POP Guide extend the product into a multi-modal sightseeing bundle, increasing average ticket value and lengthening the in-London customer journey. Pricing is unit-based with one-time purchases, free cancellation up to 24 hours before travel, and children under five travelling free on most tours.
The Original Tour firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Original Tour
- Legal name
- The Original Tour Limited
- Website
- https://theoriginaltour.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1951
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Original Tour is a London-based sightseeing operator running Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours across four routes covering 50-plus landmarks, selling tickets directly to tourists via its website and bundling with Merlin attractions, river cruises, and walking tours.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Original Tour industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tours
- NAICS
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (487990), Tour Operators (561520)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Photography & Scenic Viewpoint Tours (THAJAAAI)
Keywords
Where The Original Tour is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Original Tour business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tour Ticket Sales: Direct sales of tour tickets to consumers through the company's website. Tickets are sold as one-time purchases for specific tour durations (single trip, 1-7 days). Pricing varies by tour type and duration. Revenue is generated at point of sale with free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the tour date.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Half-a-Crown Tour - Single 4-hour tour |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Deluxe London Tour 1-3 Days |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Deluxe London Tour 7 Days |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | London Skyline Experience - 24 hours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ultimate Plus London Experience - 7 days |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | All-Inclusive London Experience - 7 days + 5 attractions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | London By Night Tour - 90 minutes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Christmas Lights Tour - 75 minutes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Tour - 45 minutes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Original Tour product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Original Tour operates Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing tours in London aboard classic red open-top double-decker buses. The company sells flexible duration tickets (single trip, 1-3 days, or 7 days) that include unlimited bus access across four routes covering 50+ stops, Thames river cruises, multilingual audio commentary in 10 languages, and access to walking tours via the POP Guide app. Bundled packages add partner attractions such as London Cable Car, UberBoats, and Merlin Entertainments venues.
Product overview
The Original Tour is a London sightseeing company offering Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours aboard classic red open-top double-decker buses. The portfolio consists of three core products (Half-a-Crown Tour, Deluxe 1-3 Days, Deluxe 7 Days) providing flexible panoramic bus tours with multilingual audio commentary in 10 languages. These core products can be enhanced with three add-on modules: London Skyline Experience (adds cable car and UberBoats cruise), Ultimate London Experience (adds 1 attraction choice), and All-Inclusive Experience (adds 5 Merlin attractions). Three specialized sub-brands target niche segments: Kids Tour (45-min live-guided family tour), By Night Tour (90-min twilight experience), and Christmas Lights Tour (75-min festive tour). All packages include Thames River Cruise, free 5G Wi-Fi, and access to 6 walking tours via the POP app.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Original London "Half-a-Crown" Tour Single 4-hour panoramic ride covering London's best landmarks in one circuit, with river cruise and 6 walking tours included. Designed for tourists wanting a concise introduction to London in half a day.
- Deluxe London Tour: 1-3 Days Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour with flexible 1, 2, or 3-day passes offering unlimited rides across 4 bus routes with 50+ stops, plus matching Hop-On Hop-Off River Cruise. Tickets valid within a two-week period.
- Deluxe London Tour: 7 Days
- London Skyline Experience
- Ultimate London Experience (Plus 1 Attraction)
- All-Inclusive London Experience
- The Original London Kids Tour
- The Original London By Night Tour
- The Original Christmas Lights Tour
Quantifiable outcome
- 200+ London sights accessible from four bus routes
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Original Tour
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Original Tour technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
The Original Tour partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Merlin EntertainmentscorePartnership with Merlin Entertainments provides bundled attraction tickets. The All-Inclusive package includes entry to 5 Merlin attractions: London Eye, Madame Tussauds, London Dungeon, London Sealife Centre, and Shrek World. Customers receive access to the Merlin Portal for booking additional attractions.
- UberBoats by Thames ClipperscoreRiver cruise partner providing Hop-On Hop-Off Thames river services. Included in Skyline Experience and available with other tour packages. Cruises depart from Westminster Pier, Tower Pier, Greenwich Pier, and London Eye Pier.
- VentratacoreBooking platform technology provider powering the online booking system. Uses ventrata_consent cookie for consent management.
- FirstGroup plccoreParent company and ultimate holding company of The Original Tour Limited (company number 02328599). FirstGroup is a major transport operator. The company's Data Protection Officer can be contacted at [email protected].
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Original Tour competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Evan Evans Tours: Established London tour operator offering day trips and sightseeing tours, with a complementary rather than purely hop-on hop-off model. Targets the same inbound tourist customer seeking structured London experiences.
- Golden Tours: Major London tour operator running hop-on hop-off bus routes alongside day trips to Stonehenge, Windsor, and Oxford. Directly comparable bundled-product model and tourist customer base.
- City Sightseeing: Global franchise-based hop-on hop-off bus tour operator present in London and 90+ other cities. Operates direct London routes with multilingual audio and bundled attraction tickets using the same red open-top bus format.
- Big Bus Tours: The largest dedicated hop-on hop-off bus operator globally, with London as its flagship market. Operates near-identical 4+ route network with multilingual commentary and bundled attraction tickets, directly competing with TOT for the same tourist customer.
- Premium Tours: London tour operator running hop-on hop-off services alongside airport transfers and day trips. Directly comparable pricing tiers and customer demographic for sightseeing bus products.
- Tootbus (formerly The Big Ticket / London Original Tour): London-focused open-top bus tour operator owned by Transdev, offering similar hop-on hop-off routes. Notably shares the 'Original Tour' legacy branding in some markets and competes head-to-head on price and route coverage.
Broad incumbents
- Gray Line: Global sightseeing tour brand offering bus, walking, and day-trip tours across many cities. Provides a broader portfolio comparison for asset utilization, multi-product bundling, and B2B travel-trade distribution strategy.
Others
- Merlin Entertainments: Owner of London Eye, Madame Tussauds, London Dungeon, and Sea Life - all bundled into TOT's All-Inclusive product. Not a direct competitor but a critical strategic partner whose product mix and pricing shape TOT's monetization ceiling.
- Uber Boats by Thames Clippers: River transit and cruise partner currently embedded in TOT's bundled offerings. Adjacent comparison for water-based London tourism product design and partnership economics.
Regional players
- Les Cars Rouges: Paris-based sister-product hop-on hop-off bus operator under RATP Dev. Operates an essentially identical product model in a different capital city, valuable for benchmarking operating economics and product evolution outside London.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Original Tour social profiles
Digital presenceThe Original Tour financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Original Tour leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Original Tour funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Original Tour M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Original Tour
What does The Original Tour do?
The Original Tour operates Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing tours in London aboard classic red open-top double-decker buses. The company sells flexible duration tickets (single trip, 1-3 days, or 7 days) that include unlimited bus access across four routes covering 50+ stops, Thames river cruises, multilingual audio commentary in 10 languages, and access to walking tours via the POP Guide app. Bundled packages add partner attractions such as London Cable Car, UberBoats, and Merlin Entertainments venues.
Is The Original Tour a public or private company?
The Original Tour is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Original Tour founded?
The Original Tour was founded in 1951. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Original Tour based?
The Original Tour is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Original Tour make money?
One revenue line is on record: tour Ticket Sales.
Who are The Original Tour's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Evan Evans Tours, Golden Tours, City Sightseeing, Big Bus Tours, Premium Tours and Tootbus (formerly The Big Ticket / London Original Tour). Gray Line is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are Merlin Entertainments and Uber Boats by Thames Clippers. Les Cars Rouges is listed as a regional player.
Does The Original Tour have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Original Tour.
What industry is The Original Tour in?
The Original Tour's product category is Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tours. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKADAA, Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators, with a secondary code of THAJAAAI, Photography & Scenic Viewpoint Tours. Its NAICS code is 487 and its SIC code is 7900.