Celtic Horizon Tours

Name

Celtic Horizon Tours

Legal name

Celtic Horizon Tours Ltd.

Website

https://celtichorizontours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour Operator / Group Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charter & Tour Coach Operators (TLAFAFAB), Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies (THAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Group travel packages
• Coach tour operator
• Football tour packages
• School educational tours
• Performing arts tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Maynooth

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Package Tour Sales: The primary revenue stream is selling complete package tours that include coach travel, ferry crossings, accommodation, attraction tickets, and sometimes event/match tickets. Customers pay for the full package upfront with deposits (typically 8 weeks before departure). Tour prices range from approximately €298 for short weekend breaks to €819 for 5-day tours.
2. Football and Sports Ticket Packages: Specialized hospitality and ticket packages for football matches (Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup), Six Nations Rugby, and Formula 1 Grand Prix. These are typically non-refundable premium packages combining match tickets with transport and accommodation.
3. Travel Insurance: The company offers travel insurance as an add-on to tour packages, with standard coverage priced at €26 per adult and €13 per child (ages 6-68 years). This is an ancillary revenue stream that provides protection against trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and personal belongings.
4. Optional Upgrades and Add-ons: Revenue from single room supplements (ranging from €85 to €240), optional activities, and extras not included in base tour prices. Examples include single supplements on accommodation and optional attraction upgrades.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Celtic Horizon Tours is an Irish tour operator that sells complete group travel packages bundling coach transport, ferry crossings, accommodation, attraction/event tickets, and customized itinerary planning into a single product. The portfolio covers football tours (Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup), coach tours (UK and European destinations including Christmas markets and scenic itineraries), school educational tours (UK and Europe), motorcycle tours, performing arts tours, soaps tours, and inbound Visit Ireland packages. Customers typically pay a deposit at booking with final payment due approximately 8 weeks before departure, and tours are supplemented by optional travel insurance and single-room upgrades.

Product overview

Celtic Horizon Tours operates as a 100% Irish-owned travel company and inbound tour operator offering a portfolio of group travel products. The core offering consists of Football Tours (match packages for Premier League and European football), Coach Tours (UK and European itineraries including shopping, Christmas markets, and scenic destinations), School Tours (educational trips to UK and Europe with curriculum-aligned itineraries), Motorcycle Tours (guided routes across Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and US), and Performing Arts Tours (performance arrangements for bands and groups in Ireland/UK). Special interest offerings include the Soaps Tour (Coronation Street/Emmerdale locations) and Visit Ireland packages for inbound travelers. The company also offers a Deals of the Week promotional category. All products are coordinated through a centralized booking system with customer portal access, and the company acts as a bonded and licensed agent organizing coach, ferry, accommodation, and activity components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Football Tours Specialized group packages for football fans to attend Premier League, Championship, Champions League, Europa League, and FA Cup matches at major UK stadiums including Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Aston Villa. The package bundles match tickets, coach travel, ferry crossings, and accommodation for individual fans, families, and groups.
• Coach Tours Group travel packages including UK and European coach tours featuring destinations like Cotswolds, Lake District, Scotland, Birmingham Christmas shopping, Blackpool Lights, Newcastle Christmas Markets, and festive Chatsworth experiences. The package bundles coach travel, ferry crossings, accommodation, attraction tickets, and itinerary planning for groups.
• School Tours Educational group travel for Irish primary and secondary schools, colleges, and Transition Year programs including UK school tours, European school tours (France, Spain, Italy, Germany), London history tours, and curriculum-aligned itineraries. Every 8 paying students includes one free teacher place.
• Motorcycle Tours Guided motorcycle tours spanning Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and extending to the United States, catering to motorcycle enthusiasts seeking scenic routes and group riding experiences with route planning and accommodation arranged.
• Performing Arts Tours Packages for performing arts groups and organizations (marching bands, wind ensembles, choirs, school bands) to perform at venues and festivals across Ireland and the UK, including concert arrangements and venue coordination.
• Soaps Tour Special interest tour focused on TV soap opera filming locations, including Coronation Street experiences in Manchester and Emmerdale locations, providing fans with behind-the-scenes and guided set experiences.
• Visit Ireland Tours Inbound packages bringing individuals and groups to Ireland, including Explore Ireland tours, visits to Dublin, Cliffs of Moher, Giant's Causeway, Kylemore Abbey, and curated cultural experiences for international travellers.
• Sports Tours General sports travel packages beyond football, including Six Nations rugby trips, Formula 1 Grand Prix packages (Monza, Spa-Francorchamps, Hungaroring), and sports-themed school tours, bundling tickets, travel, and accommodation.
• Deals of the Week Weekly special offers on popular tours providing discounted rates on selected coach and travel packages, run as a promotional category on the website to drive bookings across the existing tour portfolio.
• Travel Insurance Add-on Optional standard travel insurance (€26 adult / €13 child) covering medical expenses up to €50,000, trip cancellation up to €5,000, and personal belongings up to €1,500, available for ages 6-68 and purchasable at booking or within 14 days of initial deposit.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coach tourism creates 50% smaller carbon footprint than independent travel on the Island of Ireland

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and standard.

• Thomond Wind EnsembleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Irish performing arts ensemble co-organizing an international concert with Texas A&M University Band at St Joseph's Church, Limerick on May 13, 2026.
• Texas A&M University BandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026American university marching band visiting Ireland for international concert collaboration with Thomond Wind Ensemble at St Joseph's Church, Limerick on May 13, 2026.
• Stena LinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary ferry partner providing cross-channel and Irish Sea crossings. Stena Line services include Dublin/Holyhead, Belfast/Cairnryan routes used extensively in tour packages. Multiple tour itineraries feature Stena Line ferries as integral transport component.
• Irish FerriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor ferry partner for Irish Sea crossings. Dublin Swift (2h 15m) and cruise ferry services (3h 25m) to Holyhead featured in tour itineraries. Integral to coach tour transport logistics.
• The Cairndale Hotel & SpacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBase hotel for Scotland and Lake District tours. Located in Dumfries town centre. Family-run Victorian-style hotel with spa facilities, restaurant, bar, and leisure club with indoor pool. Used extensively as accommodation partner for multi-night tours.
• Cedar Court Hotel (Harrogate)standardStrategic or Co-development Partner4-star accommodation partner for Yorkshire tours. Located in the spa town of Harrogate. Provides breakfast and evening meals as part of tour packages.
• Clayton Hotel BirminghamstandardStrategic or Co-development Partner4-star city centre hotel partner for Birmingham Christmas markets tours. Located 3 minutes from Bullring shopping centre, 10 minutes from New Street Station.
• Leonardo Hotel NewcastlestandardStrategic or Co-development Partner4-star accommodation partner for Newcastle Christmas Markets tours. City centre location with access to Metro Centre shopping and Newcastle attractions.
• Bolton Whites Hotel (Macron Stadium)standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerManchester area accommodation partner for Trafford Centre shopping tours. Located within Macron Stadium football arena in Bolton.
• Lakeland Hotel (Kendal)standardStrategic or Co-development Partner3-star accommodation for Lake District tours. Located in historic market town of Kendal, ideal base for exploring Lake District National Park.
• Barton's CoachescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoach partner referenced in multiple customer testimonials for football tours. Praised for friendly, helpful drivers who enhance customer experience.
• Tourism IrelandstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for marketing and promotion. Celtic Horizon Tours distributes Tourism Ireland corporate updates and industry opportunity alerts to their customer database.
• Various UK Attractions (Tower of London, British Museum, etc.)standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with UK tourist attractions for school tour itineraries including Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, UK Parliament, Churchill War Rooms, British Museum, Shakespeare's Globe, and others.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Rabbie's Trail Burners: A UK-based small-group coach tour operator focused on the British Isles, particularly Scotland, Ireland and England. Mirrors Celtic Horizon's coach tour packages, group travel model, and customised itinerary positioning for international visitors.
• Vagabond Tours of Ireland: An Irish small-group tour operator specialising in adventure and cultural tours of Ireland and beyond. Comparable to Celtic Horizon in packaged group itineraries, though it leans more toward adventure/cultural travellers; both operate Irish-licensed tour brands with international inbound customers.
• Puffin Holidays: An Ireland and UK tour operator providing package tours, ferry-inclusive itineraries and scheduled coach trips. Direct competitor in the Ireland-UK group travel corridor with similar ferry-driven coach tour packages.
• Top Flight Sports Tours: An Ireland-based sports tour specialist offering football and rugby match tour packages to UK and European destinations. Most direct head-to-head competitor to Celtic Horizon's flagship Football Tours product.
• Haggis Adventures: A small-group tour operator running coach-based itineraries across Scotland, Ireland and the UK. Directly comparable to Celtic Horizon in product format (multi-day coach tours with accommodation bundles) and shared supply chain with Stena Line / Irish Ferries crossings.
• Wild Rover Tours: An Irish coach tour operator offering multi-day package tours departing Ireland to UK and European destinations. Overlaps directly with Celtic Horizon's coach tour, school tour and group travel products, sharing similar customer base of Irish outbound group travellers.
• Paddy Wagon Tours: An Ireland-based tour operator providing multi-day package coach tours across Ireland and the UK. Shares Celtic Horizon's direct-to-consumer group tour model, coach-based transport, accommodation bundling, and B2C booking via website enquiry.

Broad incumbents

• Contiki: A global youth-focused escorted coach tour brand covering Europe, the UK and Ireland. A broad incumbent with overlapping group-coach product and itinerary style, though Contiki targets 18-35 travellers whereas Celtic Horizon serves football fans, schools and families.
• Trafalgar Tours: A major global guided-holiday operator offering guided coach tours across Europe and the British Isles. Overlaps with Celtic Horizon on escorted coach itineraries, multi-day packages, and curated cultural experiences, but at much broader global scale.

Others

• Tourism Ireland: The cross-border tourism marketing body for the Island of Ireland, not a tour operator. Included because it is a documented GTM/marketing partner of Celtic Horizon and a key influencer of inbound Visit Ireland demand the operator routes into.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/celtic-horizon-tours

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Celtic Horizon Tours