EI Travel Group

What EI Travel Group does

EI Travel Group is a privately held Irish destination management company (DMC) and tour operator founded in 2011 by Keith McDonnell, headquartered in Dublin (Inchicore). The company operates a multi-brand portfolio spanning tour experiences (Irish Day Tours, City Sightseeing Dublin franchise, Gravedigger Ghost Bus Tour, Sightseeing Bike Tours), owned visitor attractions (Irish Whiskey Museum launched 2015 in Dublin opposite Trinity College, World of Illusion), and bespoke travel services (private tours, golf tours, corporate travel, ground transport, accommodation booking, guiding services). It serves leisure travellers, corporate clients, and tour operators with operations across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, anchored by a fleet of 40 luxury vehicles ranging from 4-seater cars to 64-passenger coaches, all equipped with free Wi-Fi.

The technology stack is operational rather than platform-native: fleet management and booking operations technology supports tour logistics, ground transport scheduling, and itinerary management, with the company positioning its expert local guides as the primary service differentiator. Distribution combines direct B2C booking via website and phone, third-party aggregator presence (TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice, Viator Top Rated), and B2B DMC services for tour operators and corporate clients.

The company monetizes through four primary streams: tour operations (transaction-based public and bespoke day tours), ground transport hire (per vehicle/per day), destination management (managed services for tour operators and corporate clients), and attraction operations (ticketed admissions at owned Dublin attractions). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with rates determined by group size, tour type, duration, accommodation level, and services included. The company claims to be the only Irish transport company holding the EFQM customer service excellence award.

Name

EI Travel Group

Legal name

EI Travel Group

Website

https://eitravelgroup.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EI Travel Group is an Irish destination management company and tour operator operating private tours, public day tours, ground transport, and owned Dublin attractions for leisure travellers, corporate clients, and tour operators across Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism & Destination Management Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Travel Agencies (56151), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Travel Agencies (THAKAFAA), Online/Hybrid Corporate Travel Agencies (Self-Booking + Support) (THAKACAB), Transportation & Access Services (Shuttles, Ferry Access, Scenic Drives Permits) (THAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Destination management services
• Bespoke private tours
• Luxury ground transport
• Corporate travel management
• Visitor attractions operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tour Operations: Bespoke and scheduled day tours across Ireland including private tours, small group tours, and luxury travel experiences. Revenue generated through tour bookings, guide services, and curated itineraries.
2. Ground Transport Services: Luxury vehicle hire ranging from 4 to 64 seats for transfers and multi-day use. Fleet includes modern cars, people carriers, minibuses, and coaches with free Wi-Fi.
3. Destination Management (DMC): Full-service destination management including venue hire, accommodation booking, activities, entertainment, and event management for groups and corporate clients.
4. Attraction Operations: Owned and operated visitor attractions including Irish Whiskey Museum, Gravedigger Ghost Bus Tour, Sightseeing Bike Tours, World of Illusion, and City Sightseeing Dublin franchise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EI Travel Group is an Irish destination management company that designs and delivers bespoke private tours, small group/luxury travel, corporate transport, golf tour packages, and meet-and-greet services across Ireland. It operates a fleet of 40 luxury vehicles (4–64 seats) with onboard Wi-Fi and supports end-to-end travel coordination including accommodation booking, guiding, airport transfers, and DMC services for tour operators and corporate clients. The group also owns and operates multiple Dublin-based visitor attractions and brands under its portfolio.

Product overview

EI Travel Group is a destination management company operating a multi-brand portfolio of tour experiences and travel services across Ireland. The portfolio includes owned attractions (Irish Whiskey Museum, World of Illusion), operated tour brands (Irish Day Tours, City Sightseeing Dublin, Gravedigger Ghost Bus Tour, Sightseeing Bike Tours), and service offerings (private tours, golf tours, corporate travel, ground transport with a fleet of 40 vehicles, accommodation booking, guiding services, and meet & greet). The group serves leisure travelers, corporate clients, and group organizers with both public tours and bespoke private itineraries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Irish Day Tours: Daily public tours departing and returning to Dublin, visiting iconic Irish destinations including Cliffs of Moher, Giant's Causeway, and Blarney Castle.
• Irish Whiskey Museum
• Gravedigger Ghost Bus Tour
• Sightseeing Bike Tours
• World of Illusion

Products and services

• Irish Day Tours Daily public scheduled tours departing from Dublin to iconic Irish destinations including the Cliffs of Moher, Giant's Causeway, and Blarney Castle, with expert guides and comfortable coaches. Targeted at individual travellers, families, and small groups.
• Irish Whiskey Museum Interactive museum experience in Dublin showcasing the history of Irish whiskey with guided tours and premium tastings, targeted at visitors to Dublin.
• City Sightseeing Dublin Hop-on hop-off bus tour franchise in Dublin offering panoramic views of the city's top attractions with stops at must-see landmarks and multilingual commentary.
• Gravedigger Ghost Bus Tour Spooky bus tour experience in Dublin combining dark history, humour, and live performance as guides share chilling tales of the city's haunted past.
• Sightseeing Bike Tours Eco-friendly cycling tours through Dublin's historic streets and scenic spots with expert local guides, offered via bike and e-bike.
• World of Illusion Immersive illusion attraction in Dublin featuring optical illusion rooms, interactive exhibits, and sensory-challenging experiences for all ages.
• Private Tours Across Ireland Bespoke private tours with luxury transport, expert local guides, and tailor-made itineraries crafted around individual interests, for travellers seeking authentic Irish experiences.
• Small Group & Luxury Travel Premium travel experiences combining luxury transport, expert guides, and hand-selected accommodations for those who value personal service and exclusive access.
• Golf Tours Golf travel experiences including transport, custom packages with tee times and accommodation, destination management, and access to courses across Ireland for golf tour groups.
• Ground Transport Services Fleet of 40 luxury vehicles ranging from modern cars and people carriers to minibuses and coaches accommodating up to 64 passengers, available for airport transfers and multi-day ground service.
• Meet & Greet Services Airport meet-and-greet and ground contact support services for groups needing assistance during hotel stays or transfers in Ireland.
• Accommodation Booking Assistance selecting and booking accommodation across Ireland, ranging from 5-star castle hotels to boutique city apartments, for individuals and groups.
• Guiding Services Professional tour guides available by the hour or on a multi-day basis, providing insight into Irish history, folklore, and culture for private and group travel.
• Corporate Travel Luxury transport and travel management services for corporate clients, including minibus and coach hire from 4 to 64 seats with free Wi-Fi, for groups across Ireland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Only transport company in Ireland to hold EFQM customer service excellence award
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Golf Courses (Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with Ireland's leading golf courses enabling access for golf tour packages. The company works with courses across the country providing transport, accommodation, and itinerary services for golfing groups.
• IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry membership providing network access and credibility in the global golf tourism sector.
• ETOA (European Tourism Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerEuropean tourism association membership providing industry networking and best practice access.
• ITOA (Irish Tour Operators Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational association membership representing Irish tour operators.
• IAAT (Irish Association of Accommodation Providers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership enabling access to accommodation network from 5-star castle hotels to boutique city apartments.
• Global Passenger NetworkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPassenger transport network providing additional capacity and coverage capabilities.
• Montalto EstateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured venue partner for events, conferences, and incentive gatherings in County Down, Northern Ireland.
• I-StarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry affiliation/organization in Irish tourism sector.
• City Sightseeing FranchisecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHolds the City Sightseeing franchise for Dublin, operating hop-on hop-off bus tours with multilingual commentary. Licensed to use global City Sightseeing brand and operational system.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Wild Rover Tours: Irish tour operator focused on multi-day and day tours from Dublin. Comparable in product (coach-based tours of Cliffs of Moher and similar landmarks), B2C distribution via aggregators, and Dublin-departing operating model.
• Shamrocker Adventures: Irish multi-day adventure tour operator targeting the youth/budget segment. Comparable in tour operator business model, Dublin departure points, and coach-based itineraries across Ireland, though positioned at lower price points than EI Travel Group's luxury tier.
• Vagabond Tours: Ireland-based small-group adventure tour operator offering guided multi-day itineraries. Comparable in target customer (international leisure travellers), DMC-style tour packaging, and use of mid-size coaches — directly competes for the same small-group premium leisure segment.
• Paddywagon Tours: Irish tour operator running scheduled day tours and multi-day itineraries across Ireland (Cliffs of Moher, Giant's Causeway, etc.). Directly comparable product offering, B2C aggregator-led distribution, and target customer overlap with EI Travel Group's Irish Day Tours brand.
• Rabbie's Trail Burners: UK and Ireland small-group tour operator running 1- to 14-day itineraries from Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and Dublin. Closely comparable in product (small-group, story-led tours), target customer (international leisure), and aggregator-led B2C distribution.

Broad incumbents

• City Sightseeing Worldwide: Global hop-on hop-off bus tour franchise brand. EI Travel Group holds the Dublin franchise; the parent comparable as a broader incumbent in the sightseeing bus segment across many cities.
• Intrepid Travel: Global small-group adventure tour operator with Ireland itineraries. Comparable in small-group tour model and DMC-style ground operations, though operating at much larger international scale.
• Contiki: Global youth-focused coach tour operator with Ireland routes. Comparable in escorted coach tour format and target demographic overlap (international leisure travellers), but at much larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Trafalgar Tours: Global guided-holiday tour operator offering coach tours across Europe including Ireland. Comparable in escorted coach tour product but operates at much larger scale and through a wider network of partners.

Others

• GetYourGuide: Global tours and experiences aggregator marketplace. Not a direct competitor but a parallel distribution channel to Viator and TripAdvisor where EI Travel Group's brands are listed, shaping demand acquisition dynamics for the company's tour and attraction inventory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/share/1BWuY4XEGx/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ei-travel-group
• TikToktiktok.com/@eitravelgroup
• Xx.com/eitravelgroup

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 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 EI Travel Group