School travel specialist Inspiresport is poised to sign its first partnership deal with a major tour operator to provide football-themed excursion packages.
The tie-up will see the Cardiff-based company develop taster sessions with a host of top Spanish football clubs – including Real Mallorca, Villareal and Espanyol – which give holidaymakers the chance to use the clubs’ facilities and train with top coaches.
Chief executive Steve Butchart, who joined the business from Thomas Cook Canada in November, said the tie-up was “imminent”, and was the first step towards getting Inspiresport known in the trade.
“The aim is to develop a series of pre-bookable excursions that exploit the contacts we already have amongst the leading football clubs in Europe, and especially Spain,” he said.
“In the summer the clubs aren’t playing – that means their facilities and coaches are available. Sessions would typically include coaching, fun matches and stadium tours.”
Butchart is also keen to form closer ties with agents who might be able to introduce their local schools and clubs to Inspiresport’s products. In exchange, the specialist will pay for every referral that leads to a booking.
“We can’t stick our product on a sales platform and get agents to sell it because the trips are completely bespoke. But agents are experts in their areas and know their clientele.
“If they know of a school or club that might want to take a group of children away on a sporting trip, we want to hear from them. We will pay up to £500 as a finder’s fee, plus repeat payments for subsequent bookings in later years.”
Inspiresport offers a range of options to schools. Most-popular are trips to Spain that give groups the chance to train with professional clubs, meet top players and have educational sightseeing visits. UK taster weekends, offering training with Premiership clubs and match tickets, are also available.
Inspiresport, which is part of the Midcounties consortium, includes travel industry veterans Simon Powell and Richard Calvert as investors. Agents can contact Butchart on info@inspiresport.com