Multi Sport UK Tour - find out what happened when we helped organise a UK tour for a touring team from South Africa

"Well organised tour with competitive games"

"A great experience with lots of fun"

Last month, we welcomed one of the most remarkable groups in Energy Travels history, on a 3 city multi sports tour to the UK.

Our South African group from the Southern Cape had over 160 people travelling consisting of players, coaches and supporters. There were 9 sport teams in totals, here to play rugby, football, hockey and netball and to enjoy overnight stays in London, Cardiff and Birmingham.

Organising the coaching, hotels and logistics of such a large group was fraught with challenges. Keeping suppliers up to date as the group’s final numbers ebbed and flowed meant continued vigilance and management of the itinerary was required. Timings chopped and changed which impacted bookings and fixtures. But just as the group departed with smiles on their faces, we loved every second.

What a week we enjoyed.

Flying into London, our tourists enjoyed training and fixtures in the Greater London area on Day 1, with London sightseeing on day 2. Fixtures were in different locations for each sport, with different start times and a different number of teams. This could also mean one team was on Coach 1 in the morning, but Coach 2 in the afternoon – precise planning and good communication was needed throughout.

After a day in London with visits to the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and a trip down the Thames, the group departed onto another British capital, Cardiff. Another day, and more fixtures. After a stop at Stonehenge, our tourists enjoyed matches in Monmouth, Cardiff and Barry before heading to their hotels.

Every team on tour was well marshalled by the coaches. Each morning, they needed to know when to come to breakfast, which coach they would be on, times to leave, time to arrive, times for dinner – yet the players were always polite and attentive and helped everything go to plan.