Sports Tours Plus Ltd

What Sports Tours Plus Ltd does

Sports Tours Plus Ltd is a UK-based, family-run travel company founded in 2007 by Debbie and Paul Pallant, headquartered in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The company designs and sells bespoke, quote-based international tours primarily for UK cricket fans following the England team abroad, with secondary offerings in rugby tours, other sports tours (e.g., tennis), cruise holidays, and general tailor-made long-haul holidays to destinations across Australasia, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean. The product is fully customised per customer — combining official match tickets, accommodation (3–5 star), optional flights, transfers, and excursions — and is sold through a consultative direct-sales model (phone, email, website enquiry form) by a small in-house team that includes the founders, an Operations Manager, and a tour manager.

The underlying operating stack is intentionally low-tech: a WordPress-based content website (sportstoursplus.com) supports the funnel, but there is no proprietary booking platform, no API, no AI components, and no app, and commercial activity is concentrated around a handful of named individuals. Strategic access is anchored by official accreditations — the company is a Cricket Australia Travel Office (CATO) licensed operator (Licence CATO150/041 and CATO2526/015) and a South Africa Cricket Travel accredited agent — together with ATOL-backed flight protection, which collectively grant access to official match tickets and preferred venue accommodation not available through standard UK travel agents.

Revenue mechanics are entirely transactional (one-time per booking), with pricing ranging from approximately £910 per person (Ireland T20Is twin share) to over £14,680 single-occupancy for premium itineraries such as the full South Africa 2026/27 tour. The core go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, with marketing concentrated on cricket-specific print (The Cricketer magazine), organic social (Facebook, X, Instagram), destination-board partnerships (Tourism Australia, Tourism New Zealand), and word-of-mouth referrals. The end customer is predominantly UK-based, middle-aged-to-older cricket enthusiasts with disposable income; repeat customers form a meaningful share of demand, with tours booked as far ahead as the 2029/30 Ashes.

Name

Sports Tours Plus Ltd

Legal name

Sports Tours Plus Ltd

Website

https://sportstoursplus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sports Tours Plus Ltd is a UK-based, family-run travel company established in 2007, specialising in bespoke cricket and rugby tours for England supporters travelling abroad. It also arranges tailor-made long-haul non-sporting holidays, operating through direct consultative sales with CATO licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports tour packages

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAKAFAJ

Sports & Active Travel Agencies (e.g., ski, golf, dive)

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Specialty/Niche Travel Agencies (Luxury, Adventure, Honeymoon, etc.)

SECONDARYTHAJAFAE

Sports Events & Match Tickets

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Live Entertainment & Ticketed Events (Shows, Concerts, Sports Experiences)

SECONDARYTHAKADAE

Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Tour Operators (Multi-Day Package Tours)

SECONDARYTHAJAFAL

Venue Tours & Premium Hospitality Packages (Backstage, VIP, Suites)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Live Entertainment & Ticketed Events (Shows, Concerts, Sports Experiences)

Keywords

• Cricket tour packages
• Bespoke sports tours
• Rugby tour packages
• International match tickets
• Tailor-made holidays

Headquarters

HQ city

Bury St Edmunds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tour Package Sales: The company earns revenue by selling complete tour packages to sports fans. These packages include match tickets, accommodation, flights (optional), transfers, and optional excursions. Pricing varies by destination, accommodation level (3-5 star), and matches attended. All tours are bespoke and priced individually.
2. Non-Sporting Holidays: The company also arranges tailor-made holidays to long-haul destinations beyond sporting events, including cruises, beach holidays, and adventure travel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sports Tours Plus designs and sells fully tailor-made international tour packages for UK sports fans, anchored on official match tickets for England cricket (Tests, ODIs, T20Is), rugby, and other major sporting events abroad. Each package combines match tickets, hand-picked accommodation of 3-5 star grade, optional flights (ATOL-protected), airport transfers, local guides, and sightseeing or excursions, with all itineraries built individually to customer requirements. The company also arranges bespoke non-sporting long-haul holidays and cruises to the same destination set.

Product overview

Sports Tours Plus Ltd is a family-run UK travel company established in 2007, specializing in wholly tailor-made sports tours and bespoke non-sporting holidays. The company's core product portfolio centers on Cricket Tours as the primary offering, complemented by Rugby Tours and Other Sports Tours modules. Beyond sporting events, the company offers a Non-Sporting Holidays module covering destination-specific tours including Australia Tours, South Africa Tours, New Zealand Tours, India Tours, Sri Lanka Tours, West Indies Tours, Caribbean Holidays, USA Holidays, Canada Holidays, Latin America Holidays, Southeast Asia Tours, Rest of World Holidays, and Cruise Holidays. All products are fully customizable itineraries combining match tickets, accommodation, travel arrangements, and optional excursions. The company holds official licensing from Cricket Australia Travel Office (CATO) and provides ATOL-protected travel packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cricket Tours Tailor-made bespoke cricket tours for England supporters to international destinations including Australia, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies, and Bangladesh, combining official match tickets, accommodation, and travel arrangements.
• Rugby Tours Wholly tailor-made rugby union and rugby league tours allowing customers to determine itinerary, including Six Nations, British & Irish Lions tours, and Hong Kong Sevens.
• Other Sports Tours Bespoke sports tours for various sporting events beyond cricket and rugby, including tennis and other major sporting events worldwide.
• Non-Sporting Holidays Bespoke tailor-made worldwide holidays extending beyond sporting events to destinations including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, Canada, Caribbean, India, Latin America, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
• Cruise Holidays Cruise holiday packages to worldwide destinations including Canada & USA, Far East, South & Central America, Caribbean, Australasia, Arctic & Antarctic, Africa & Indian Ocean, Middle East, and river cruises in Australia, Asia, and Egypt.
• Australia Tours Tailor-made tours to Australia including Ashes cricket tours, 150th Anniversary Test packages, and general Australian holidays covering Sydney, Melbourne, Great Barrier Reef, and other iconic destinations.
• South Africa Tours Bespoke cricket tours to South Africa combining Test matches and ODIs with wildlife safaris, Cape Winelands visits, and Garden Route exploration.
• New Zealand Tours Tailor-made tours to New Zealand covering cricket matches and sightseeing in both North and South Islands, including Lord of the Rings tours and wildlife experiences.
• India Tours Cricket tours to India including Test matches, ODIs, and T20s, combined with cultural experiences such as Taj Mahal visits and Golden Triangle tours.
• Sri Lanka Tours Tailor-made tours to Sri Lanka for cricket matches and cultural exploration including Sigiriya Rock, tea plantations, and wildlife parks.
• West Indies Tours Cricket tours to the Caribbean including matches in Antigua, Barbados, and St Lucia, combined with beach holidays and island exploration.
• England Tour of South Africa 2026/27 Full tour package featuring three Test matches and three ODIs across Johannesburg, Centurion, Cape Town, Paarl, and Bloemfontein.
• Perth, Melbourne & Sydney Tour Multi-city Australian tour package combining cricket at Perth Stadium, MCG, and SCG with sightseeing in three major cities.
• Melbourne & Cairns Tour Combined cricket and Great Barrier Reef tour featuring the 150th Anniversary Test at MCG and tropical North Queensland experiences.
• 150th Anniversary Test Match Package Official CATO-licensed tour package for the England vs Australia 150th Anniversary Test at MCG Melbourne in March 2027, including match tickets and accommodation.
• England Tour of Australia 2026 (ODI/T20I) England cricket tour to Australia in November 2026 featuring three ODIs and five T20Is across Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, and Canberra.
• England Tour of Bangladesh 2027 Two-Test series tour to Bangladesh scheduled for February 2027, covering matches at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Dhaka and Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Chittagong.
• England Tour of Sri Lanka 2026 England cricket tour to Sri Lanka featuring three ODIs and three T20Is at R Premadasa Stadium Colombo and Pallekele Stadium Kandy.
• Ashes 2029/30 Tour Pre-registration for the 2029/30 Ashes series featuring five Test matches across Australia's iconic cricket grounds.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly two decades of operation since 2007 with majority of clients returning for subsequent tours

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cricket Australia Travel Office (CATO)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2007Official CATO licensed operator providing direct access to official match tickets and preferred venue accommodation. Sports Tours Plus is one of a small number of UK companies authorized to sell official packages for Cricket Australia events including The Ashes and 150th Anniversary Test. CATO License Numbers: CATO150/041 and CATO2526/015.
• South Africa Cricket TravelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2007Officially accredited South Africa Cricket Travel sales agent, providing access to official match tickets and coordinated travel arrangements for England tours to South Africa.
• Tourism AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2007Partnership for destination marketing. Company is endorsed as Australia specialists and promotes Tourism Australia to customers.
• Tourism New ZealandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2007Partnership for destination marketing. Company holds '100% Pure New Zealand Specialist' accreditation at Advanced Specialist level.
• Holiday ExtrasminorOthersAirport parking services partner. Company provides Holiday Extras booking links for customers needing airport parking as part of their travel arrangements.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Trailfinders: UK bespoke long-haul travel company specializing in tailor-made itineraries worldwide. Comparable as a UK bespoke travel operator, though Trailfinders operates at much larger scale and is not cricket-specialized.
• Travelbag: UK long-haul bespoke tour operator offering tailor-made holidays to worldwide destinations. Comparable as a UK-based bespoke travel company, though not specialized in cricket supporter tours.
• TUI Sport: Sports travel offering from major UK package holiday operator TUI, providing packages tied to major sporting events. Comparable as a broader travel operator offering sports-themed packages, though not specialized in cricket supporter tours.

Direct peers

• Keith Prowse: Established UK sports hospitality and official ticketing provider offering premium packages across cricket, rugby, tennis, and other sports. Overlaps with Sports Tours Plus on match-ticket access and premium sports travel packages for UK fans.
• Barmy Army Travel: Official travel arm of the Barmy Army, the well-known England cricket supporters group, organizing packages around England cricket tours. Comparable target customer (UK cricket fans) and event focus.
• Keidan Sports Travel: UK-based bespoke sports travel agency arranging supporter tours to major international sporting events including cricket and rugby. Overlaps with Sports Tours Plus on tailored itineraries for UK sports fans traveling abroad.
• Sportsworld Group: UK sports travel management company arranging supporter tours, hospitality, and group travel for major sporting events. Comparable to Sports Tours Plus as a UK sports-focused tour operator serving client demand for international fixtures.
• Gullivers Sports Travel: UK-based sports tour operator specializing in supporter tours for major international events including cricket, rugby, and other sports. Directly comparable as a UK operator organizing international sports tours with match tickets, accommodation, and travel packages.
• Edwin Doran Sports Tours: UK sports tour operator focused on supporter tours for major international events such as Lions tours, Ashes, and Six Nations. Comparable positioning around bespoke supporter travel to Test matches and tournaments.

Regional players

• Cricket Australia Travel Office (CATO): Official Australian body licensing tour operators to sell official match tickets and packages for Australian cricket events. Operates in Australia rather than the UK but is the gating partner for Sports Tours Plus's CATO licensing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sportstoursplus
• Facebookfacebook.com/sportstoursplus
• Instagraminstagram.com/sportstoursplus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sports-tours-plus-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Sports Tours Plus Ltd