One of the biggest barriers for getting a sports tour off the ground is the cost and when you have kids that want to take part in everything, some times parents have to put their foot down! Therefore, we have put together some helpful tips on how you can keep your costs down and allow more children to enjoy the benefits of a sports tour.
Many sports tours have a huge focus on the big club experience, particularly when it comes to football tours, but because of the brand associated with them they always come with a price tag. Therefore, if you’re set on a club experience and budget is your deciding factor then stay away from places like Barcelona or AC Milan and go for somewhere like RCD Espanyol or Atalanta. They are still fantastic clubs with great facilities but you will get a much cheaper, more personal experience.
Bringing more teams on a tour almost always reduces the cost. Costs are spread between more people and there are often larger discounts at attractions for bigger groups. Why not combine your tour with other sports? Combining a Netball and Hockey tour or a Tennis and Football tour help to make up numbers with sports requiring less players.
If possible try to travel when other people aren’t! If you are lucky enough to have school holidays different weeks to others then travelling during these times will definitely help keep costs down. Also avoiding Summer, Christmas and Bank holidays will greatly increase your chances at getting good flight or ferry prices.
When it comes to choosing accommodation and excursions don’t just go with what you have heard of before. Main attractions are usually more expensive so unless these are particularly important to your trip, ask your account manager what alternatives there are. The same goes for accommodation. The stigma around hostels often puts people off but there are so many options of great child friendly hostels, many of which specifically cater for youth groups, that are much cheaper than hotels and have great facilities.
Most people always assume that coach travel is cheaper but this is dependent on a number of factors. How big is the group? It will always be cheaper for smaller groups to travel by air. Where are you travelling to? If you’re travelling to a city which has good public transport you may not get the most out of paying for a coach for the duration. How accessible is your destination? If there are a number of flight options then you are more likely to get a good deal. Being flexible on travel dates also helps as certain days of the week have more expensive flight and ferry crossings.
Finally, you may think that the cheaper the quote the better the deal but make sure you are clear on what you’re getting for your money as some companies have hidden costs or surcharges in the small print. If a trip seems too good to be true then it probably is!
If you have any questions or would like to enquire about a tour then please get in touch on 020 8772 6446 or email danielle.t@club-europe.co.uk.
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