Extraordinary Britain

What Extraordinary Britain does

Extraordinary Britain (legally Curiosity Travel Ltd., founded 1998 as In Any Event by Jane McCrum and rebranded in 2024 under owner Philip McCrum) is a London-based bespoke luxury travel operator serving discerning high-net-worth travellers, families, and corporate clients seeking private, handcrafted itineraries across the United Kingdom and Ireland, with limited reach into continental Europe. The company designs and coordinates fully customised trips — never packaged or off-the-shelf — arranging privileged access to private stately homes, royal palaces, exclusive events (Wimbledon, Glyndebourne), Michelin-starred restaurants, and expert-led tours through Blue Badge guides and specialist narrators. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations are supported by a CRM database, MailChimp for email marketing, and Google Analytics for web analytics, with the core asset being a 20+ year supplier and partner network.

The company monetises through commissions and fees on third-party bookings (hotels, restaurants, transport, guides, tickets, accommodation) plus bespoke trip planning charges, with each itinerary priced individually following an initial consultation. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: clients engage via a discovery call, receive a tailored proposal, iterate, and are supported on the ground throughout the trip. Distribution combines direct sales (website, phone, email) with an indirect US referral channel via Hidden Doorways, the Wendy Perrin WoW List, Condé Nast Traveler, and Altour. The team is roughly 9 people, majority family and long-tenured, and the business is privately held with no external investors. A separate sub-brand, EB-DMC (eb-dmc.com), extends the offering into Destination Management Company services for corporate and group travel.

Name

Extraordinary Britain

Legal name

Curiosity Travel Ltd.

Website

https://extraordinarybritain.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Extraordinary Britain is a London-based bespoke luxury travel operator designing and coordinating fully customised UK and Ireland itineraries for high-net-worth individuals, families, and corporate clients through a 20+ year supplier network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Travel Planning & Coordination: Extraordinary Britain designs and coordinates fully customised luxury travel itineraries for discerning travellers throughout the UK and Ireland. Revenue is generated through commissions and fees from securing hotels, restaurants, transport, guides, activities, event tickets, and accommodation on behalf of clients. Each trip is unique and priced individually based on scope and requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Extraordinary Britain designs and coordinates fully customised luxury travel itineraries for discerning travellers throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. Each itinerary is handcrafted from scratch by the company, incorporating privileged access experiences, luxury accommodation, expert guides, dining, transport, and on-ground support. Revenue is generated through commissions and fees from securing hotels, restaurants, transport, guides, activities, event tickets, and accommodation on behalf of clients.

Product overview

Extraordinary Britain is a luxury travel company offering bespoke, fully customised travel experiences throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company operates as a single integrated service rather than a platform with modules. Its core offerings include Privileged Access Tours (exclusive insider experiences), Regular Touring Services (standard luxury touring with expert guides), Food & Drink Experiences (culinary tours and tastings), Children & Families Tours (adventure quests and themed activities), Special Interest Tours (customised hobby-focused itineraries), Sports & The Great Outdoors (country pursuits and sporting events), Art & Culture Tours (gallery and museum experiences), and History & Heritage Tours. Accommodation booking and EB-DMC services complement the core travel offerings. Each trip is hand-crafted from scratch, with no two itineraries ever the same, and the company does not offer package or off-the-shelf tours.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• No two itineraries are ever the same — each trip is handcrafted from scratch to match individual client requirements.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ballyfin DemesneminorOthers · 14 June 2024Luxury Irish country estate hotel. Extraordinary Britain met with Ballyfin Demesne hoteliers at a Susan Presents Ireland event, indicating an ongoing preferred supplier relationship for luxury Irish accommodation for clients.
• The Merrion Hotel, DublinminorOthers · 14 June 2024Five-star luxury hotel in Dublin, Ireland. Extraordinary Britain met with The Merrion Hotel at a Susan Presents Ireland event, indicating a preferred supplier relationship.
• Dromoland Castle Hotel & Country EstateminorOthers · 14 June 2024Luxury castle hotel in County Clare, Ireland. Extraordinary Britain maintains a preferred supplier relationship for luxury Irish accommodation.
• Sheen Falls LodgeminorOthers · 14 June 2024Luxury five-star hotel and estate in County Kerry, Ireland. Extraordinary Britain met with Sheen Falls Lodge at a Susan Presents Ireland event, indicating a preferred supplier relationship.
• Cashel Palace HotelminorOthers · 14 June 2024Luxury hotel in County Tipperary, Ireland. Extraordinary Britain met with Cashel Palace Hotel at a Susan Presents Ireland event, indicating a preferred supplier relationship.
• Ireland's Blue BookminorOthers · 14 June 2024A collection of Ireland's finest country houses, estates, and restaurants. Extraordinary Britain met with Ireland's Blue Book representatives at a Susan Presents event, indicating a preferred supplier network relationship.
• Hidden DoorwayscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHidden Doorways serves as Extraordinary Britain's US Representative office, acting as the primary channel partner for acquiring American high-net-worth clients seeking bespoke UK and Ireland travel experiences.
• Wendy Perrin WoW ListcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWendy Perrin WoW List is a prestigious trusted travel expert platform that lists Extraordinary Britain as a verified specialist for UK & Ireland travel, providing high-credibility referrals from one of the travel industry's most respected names.
• Conde Nast TravelercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExtraordinary Britain is listed as a Condé Nast Traveler UK Travel Specialist, providing brand credibility and referrals from one of the world's most authoritative luxury travel publications.
• AltourminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAltour is listed as a preferred supplier to Extraordinary Britain, suggesting a mutual commercial relationship in which Altour refers clients or provides services supporting Extraordinary Britain's operations.
• Mr LondonercoreOthersMr Londoner is a writer, broadcaster, former museum director, and Blue Badge tour guide who provides specialist narrative tours of London. He partners with Extraordinary Britain to deliver bespoke, behind-the-scenes London experiences, offering insights into the city's history, culture, sustainability, and contemporary life. He is described as one of the company's most trusted narrators and curators.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Scott Dunn: Scott Dunn is a UK-based luxury tour operator creating fully bespoke, high-end holidays worldwide. Highly comparable to EB in its bespoke model, HNW clientele, and use of concierges and curated accommodation, though it serves a broader geographic footprint than EB's UK/Ireland focus.
• Jacada Travel: Jacada Travel is a luxury bespoke travel specialist offering tailor-made itineraries with insider access. Comparable to EB in bespoke model, HNW focus, and emphasis on exclusive experiences and connections.
• Audley Travel: Audley Travel is a UK-based tailor-made travel company creating bespoke international itineraries for discerning travellers. Comparable to EB in consultative bespoke model, country-specialist structure, and HNW-leaning clientele, though Audley is significantly larger.
• Black Tomato: Black Tomato is a London-based luxury travel company known for bespoke, experience-led itineraries and access-driven adventures. Comparable to EB in targeted affluent clientele, custom itinerary design, and emphasis on unique insider experiences.
• Red Savannah: Red Savannah is a UK luxury travel specialist offering tailor-made itineraries with a focus on authentic, immersive experiences. Closely comparable to EB in its bespoke design model, premium positioning, and curated accommodation portfolio.
• Cazenove+Loyd: Cazenove+Loyd is a London-based luxury bespoke travel company founded by former Cazenove and Loyd bankers. Comparable to EB in premium bespoke positioning, owner-led service, and curated UK/Africa/global itineraries.
• Quintessentially Travel: Quintessentially Travel is the travel arm of the Quintessentially luxury concierge group, offering bespoke itineraries to UHNW members. Comparable to EB in concierge-driven bespoke service and extremely high-net-worth clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Mr & Mrs Smith: Mr & Mrs Smith is a UK-founded luxury hotel and travel curator offering curated boutique stays and bespoke itineraries. Comparable to EB in luxury positioning and curated UK accommodations, though it operates a broader hotel-collection platform.
• Abercrombie & Kent: Abercrombie & Kent is a global luxury travel pioneer offering high-end guided and bespoke journeys worldwide. Comparable to EB in luxury positioning and access-led experiences, but as a much larger incumbent spanning many geographies.

Emerging players

• Touristik Prins / Luxury Concierge Operators: Touristik Prins (T.E.N. - Travel Expert Network) and similar networks of UK/Ireland DMCs and bespoke operators overlap with EB's privileged-access model through exclusive experiences and curated luxury supply. Comparable as peers operating in the same UK luxury bespoke space, though typically with broader geographic and product scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/extraordinarybritain

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 Extraordinary Britain