Our bucket-list IV trip didn’t get off to the easiest of starts with a fire outbreak at a power station near Heathrow putting the whole trip into jeopardy. A cancelled flight, 3 hours on hold to Virgin Atlantic and plenty of itinerary re-arrangements later, we were finally on the road, 24 hours later than originally planned.  A day in the life for us tourism folk!’   Straight off the plane, we picked up our rental car and took the short drive to the iconic Newlands cricket ground (where the Western Province and Durban Dolphins women’s sides were warming up for a top of the table clash in the Pro20 series). With the stunning backdrop of Table Mountain, a stadium tour or live cricket fixture at this incredible venue is an absolute must-do for any sports tour heading to South Africa.  The rest of the morning focused on inspecting some of the great hotels that we use for our groups staying in Cape Town. Josh and I stayed at Never @ Home in Green Point. A stone’s throw away from the DHL Stadium and a short walk away from V&A Waterfront and the City Bowl, the accommodation is in a fantastic location. A perfect stay for large groups on more of a budget, with spacious dormitory and private rooms, a lovely breakfast and even a small swimming pool for recovery or relaxation. If you are looking for a good hotel in Cape Town, then my pick of the inspection would be StayEasy in the City Bowl.   Some of our previous groups have been lucky enough to experience Gold Restaurant in Cape Town, which Josh and I were able to sample thanks to our hosts’ invitation. A sumptuous 14 course African taster menu, with participation African drumming in between courses: what’s not to like! This would be my final night recommendation for Cape Town to sign your tour off in style’  Day 2 started with a 5am wakeup call for our guided hike to the summit of Lion’s Head. We completed the 5.5km incline to around 700m above sea level, in about 50 minutes, which according to our guide was a ‘good time’. The climb is certainly not for the faint-hearted with some tricky terrain and occasional rock scrambles but the views from the top are well worth the hard work. Incredible 360 views of the City Bowl, Sea Point, Camps Bay and back around to Table Mountain!  Later that morning, we headed to Aquila Game Reserve, 2 hours outside of Cape Town, for an incredible game drive experience. An overnight stay here, is an absolute must-do for any group tour heading to Cape Town. Our groups are allocated into the well-appointed hotel-like rooms in the main building, some of which overlook the stunning pool with swim up bar which is accessible throughout the day.   We were lucky enough to see 4 of the big 5, missing out on the leopards who are almost nocturnal. If staying overnight, groups also do a game drive the following morning where you are more likely to see all the big 5. Finally, the buffet food at Aquila is also incredible!  Our final day in and around Cape Town was spent in Stellenbosch, with the first stop taking us to the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS). A fantastic sporting facility for our groups to base themselves for a couple of nights and make use of the pristine pitches, indoor training centre and recovery pool.   There are also plenty of top sports clubs and schools in the area for a fixtures. The town-centre is a 10-minute walk away, boasting many restaurants and cafés with outdoor terrace seating. If staying in the centre, then The Stellenbosch Hotel with its old Victorian charm is the place to be. As Stellenbosch is part of South Africa’s wine capital, a vineyard visit with a wine tasting is a must do for our adult groups and I would recommend Vredemheim estate or Spier Wine Farm based on our experience.  The day left us with just enough time to make it back to Camps Bay to see sunset from a beach-side restaurant. Again, a must do on any tour to Cape Town and for us, a perfect way to end a magnificent 72 hours in this thrilling and vibrant capital city. 

We held our inaugural Let’s Get Touring: ‘Club Together’ fundraising evening last night at Aberdare RFC.  Hosted by Ross Harries, Head of Events at MSG Tours, our midweek events bring tourists and club members together to chat all things travel, high jinks and rugby touring.  76 players and supporters from ‘The Snakes’ will be embarking on a 12-day tour to Canada in May 2026, commencing in Montreal and taking in Ottawa, Toronto and Niagara Falls.  In 2025/6 we’re moving dozens of teams around the globe that clearly demonstrates an appetite for spreading the rugby gospel to far flung places.   ‘Club Together’ nights are part-funded by MSG, allowing clubs to sell tickets and reduce travel costs. Wales and British and Irish Lion Man of the Series in 2017, Jon ‘Fox’ Davies joined Ross on stage to recall touring tales from his numerous trips around the planet, including a timely recollection of his Wales debut in Canada 🇨🇦   Get in touch to help plan your next touring adventure and fundraising evening. 

As we approach the end of 2024, here’s a spotlight on the MSG team\'s personal travel highlightsHere are some highlights from the team:Mark - The Barista \"My 2024 travel highlight was with my son to watch a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center in Orlando. This once in a lifetime opportunity is an incredible example of STEM learning taken outside the classroom.\"Jen - The Performer \"The best place I visited this year was Costa Rica. It was incredible to try new, adventurous things and spot over 80 different species of animal.\"Rob - The Podcaster \"My favourite destination from this year would be Perpignan, visited as part of an MSG Tours team inspection visit. I especially enjoyed the old town there and visiting the football facilities.\"Josh - The Coach \"My travel highlight of the year would be playing on the 2p machines with my son and spending time on the beach with family in North Devon\"Lucy - The Detective \"An important travel moment for me this year was visiting New York. I went with three generations of my family for my birthday which made it all the more special.\"Ben - The Film Critic \"My favourite destination this year was Iceland, visited as an MSG inspection visit. A personal highlight was seeing the Lava Show as I loved geography in school and it was incredible to further this knowledge on tour.\"Jess - The Bookworm \"My favourite travel memory this year was taking my sister to Paris for her 18th Birthday. My highlights were seeing the Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge and enjoying the cuisine.\"Lauren - The Explorer \"My best visited country this year was Vietnam, which was part of a trip to celebrate the completion of my degree. A highlight from this was kayaking through caves and around the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay.\"Muskan - The Perfectionist \"My trip to Saudi Arabia was such a special and transformative experience. Visiting historical architecture and religious sites brought me closer to my faith and being there with my family made it even more meaningful, and it’s something I’ll always cherish.\"Summer - The Farmer \"My highlight of the year was going to the Amalfi Coast on a boat trip and exploring the town. Another highlight was having dinner looking over the cliff on the Sorrento Coast while watching the sunset.\"Laura - The Mother \"The best trip of my year was visiting Kos, Greece. It was special to me as I visited with my family and we really enjoyed exploring the island and emmersing ourselves in the culture.\"Sam - The Miller \"As a football fan, my travelling highlight this year was visiting Berlin for the Euro Final. It was possibly the only chance I have to watch the England Men\'s football team play in a major sporting final with my dad.\"Elliemae - The Cheerleader \"My favourite place I visited this year was the Peak District. We hiked for hours and I really enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment and seeing the views \"Julia - The Florist \"The most important place I visited this year was Italy. I went to learn about my family history and visit where my Nonna was born and raised.\"

Apprenticeships at MSG Tours As a small business, we believe it is important to give young people the best start possible. A key way to achieve this is through apprenticeships. Primarily, we partner with EMA Training for Marketing and Finance courses. Ben, our current Sales and Marketing Coordinator, completed his Level 3 Content Creator last year and Jess has just recently started her Level 4 Marketing Executive Apprenticeship with EMA. Here are their apprenticeship stories. Jess “I have been an apprentice with EMA now for over a year based in their Derby Hub, starting my Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship in June 2023. During my time with EMA, I completed exams for each module and attended portfolio sessions to help me achieve my best possible grade. Overall, I achieved a Distinction in my Level 3 and I’m so grateful for the help and support I received throughout my course. I’ve been on the Level 4 Marketing Executive Apprenticeship for a few months and already love the new learning. The in-person sessions allow for a high level of teaching and the opportunity to socialise with other apprentices on the same course, where we all learn from one another. I think Marketing Apprenticeships with EMA are a brilliant alternative to College/University, it allows you to get your qualification whilst working full-time. Gaining confidence and experience from work and the theory and knowledge behind marketing when attending college.” “Apprenticeships are a great way to start your career, or boost your current knowledge, within a chosen industry. Not only this but you develop much more than the knowledge and skills of a subject, you get practical on the job experience, grow your professional network and earn while you learn! Seeing Jess progress from level 3 and now doing her level 4 Marketing Executive apprenticeship is testament to her hard work and commitment but also the opportunities that apprenticeships offer with on-going progression.” – Stuart Reddish, Digital Trainer Mentor, EMA Training Ben “When I finished my A-Levels at school, I was unsure what to do going forward, when someone recommended EMA to me. I didn’t want to go to university, so an apprenticeship was definitely the way for me. I started my Level 3 Junior Content Creator apprenticeship in September 2022 and eventually completed it in April 2024. Since finishing my course, I have stayed on at MSG Tours and have become a Sales and Marketing Coordinator. The Content Creator course that I did was perfect for me as I started with very little knowledge of the industry.  Thanks to the teaching of Stu Reddish and the EMA tutors, I was able to learn everything I needed to and then apply it to my role in everyday life.”Elsewhere in MSG We have expanded our roster of apprentices with Summer and Muskan starting Level 3 Assistant Accountant Apprenticeships with EMA, working to achieve an Advanced Diploma in Accounting. In other departments, we recently hired our first Business Administration apprentice as Elliemae commenced her level 3 course with DBC Apprenticeships. We are excited about the future with EMA and DBC and look forward to continuing these partnerships for many years to come. The door is always open for new talent. Join MSG Tours and turn your passion for travel into an exciting career. Send us your CV to be part of a team that inspires unforgettable adventures!

With an eye towards 2025, we are looking to increase the number of footballing tours. The first stop on this mission was to Lloret de Mar and Barcelona where members of the team experienced the trips that enrich and develop groups’ skills.  Group Travel Coordinator Sam shared his insights after his first inspection visit with MSG:   “From the moment we gathered at the airport, there was a buzz amongst us as we looked towards our first Inspection Visit. Our arrival at Hotel Samba in Lloret de Mar set the tone with an evening buffet and balcony views of the town, even if we were greeted by the Spanish rain.   Lloret de Mar proved to be an excellent destination thanks to its convenience. Everything is within a 20-minute walk with a bowling alley, bars, the beach, and an abundance of sporting facilities on your doorstep.  20 minutes from Lloret, you’ll find Soccerland, a sporting facility comprising of 9 pristine pitches, tucked away behind a vineyard. The pitches are amazing and perfect for any football fanatic, they made me eager to dust off my boots and have a kick around!    Around the Catalonia region, they have three top-flight Spanish teams: Girona FC, RCD Espanyol, and of course FC Barcelona. First for us was Girona FC.  The community-based club was very generous in showing us all corners of the stadium including the pitch side along with talking us through the intriguing history of the Champions League club. This experience was insightful, and we’d love to start offering it to our touring sides.    Next was RCD Espanyol’s training ground. From first team and youth training pitches to the second & Women’s team stadium, multiple weight gyms, and a memorial to the late great Dani Jarque, a high-performance coaching session combined with a stadium tour will have you feeling like a professional player. The women’s second team were training when we arrived, my coaching head instantly took over as I watched on in awe. The others had to drag me away or I would’ve stayed there all night.   La Masia, the training ground of FC Barcelona was on another level! The top-class facility is a must for any sporting tour. Having crossed paths with members of the women’s first team entering for their final training session before taking on Real Madrid the day after, we saw the men’s first team area, the pitches – where visiting groups can even have training sessions and the Johan Cruff stadium where the second team and women play.    20 minutes from Lloret, you’ll find Soccerland, a sporting facility comprising of 9 pristine pitches, tucked away behind a vineyard. The pitches are amazing and perfect for any football fanatic, they made me eager to dust off my boots and have a kick around!    Since returning, my opinion has been cemented that it is the perfect location for social activities and footballing prowess. Barcelona has it all, from cultural sightseeing to the aforementioned sites of RCD Espanyol & Barcelona.    Football tours to this part of Spain are a must! Loret De Mar and Girona, or Barcelona you won’t be disappointed.” 

MSG\'s Jen and Jess Hit the Road Jen is our Operations Team Leader, responsible for creating incredible tours (especially in the USA) and supporting our ever-growing team of tour operators.  Jess is MSG’s Marketing Executive Apprentice, bringing your incredible tours to life through written and social media content, graphic design and email communications. Jess Recently, I had my first on-the-road experience with MSG. Jen and I travelled to South Wales and Bristol to visit our soon-to-be touring schools. With tours ranging from art and economics in New York to basketball in Orlando, these schools were gearing up to learn outside the classroom, improve their sports skills and have once in a lifetime experiences.  Starting at MSG HQ in Derby at 06:00, we travelled to Tredegar Comprehensive School to begin planning their forthcoming return tour to New York City. This was a perfect opportunity to grow our client relationship and to develop their art tour from earlier this year.    After wishing Tredegar well, we headed over the Prince of Wales Bridge, taking photos along the way of the picture-perfect day.   The next school meeting took place at Bristol Metropolitan Academy who were warming up their basketball skills for Orlando, Florida – following their successful trip with MSG in 2023. A tour of this nature helps students gain confidence, create stronger friendships, and extend strong bonds with teaching staff.  We met the teachers and ran through any final questions they had following the recent hurricanes in Florida.   They expressed to us the importance of the trip and what the travel opportunity meant for the students.  Jen and I assured the teachers of our on-tour support and the back-up plans covering their detailed tour program.  The final stop on our trip was Clifton College, preparing for their inaugural MSG tour to New York City in October. The visit allowed us to get a better understanding of the aims of the trip and how the day-by-day content will benefit the students heading into exam periods. The long journey was worth it as it helped both Jen and I enhance our school relationships and gain intelligence in creating the most suited learning outside the classroom experiences.  What the client visit gave me: Allowed me to understand the logistics and planning that goes into an MSG tour, from both the teachers’ side and our operating staff.  .It showed me how much teachers care for their students, want them to have the best experiences and will use their personal time in doing so when going out on tour.   This was my first visit to Wales, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the jokes from the team about me remembering to bring my passport …  

The Land of Fire and Ice: a Geographer\'s Dream Travelling the rugged landscape, you get the feeling of being on a different planet. With terrain that wouldn’t look out of place in a space movie, you know that below the surface this country is alive and ever-changing.  Iceland offers so much to budding explorers who want to expand on their classroom learning when in the field. It holds great examples of: Tectonic landscapes Volcanic activity Climate change The effects of earthquakes One of the pivotal stops for a study tour for Iceland must be the Southern Coast. Here you’ll see great basalt rock formations jutting out onto the black sand beaches created from volcanic eruptions through the ages. See the majestic glaciers with their layers of history and the impact of climate change slowly making them disappear. Take a look at the waterfalls that plunge over the edges of volcanic mountains.  Additionally, The Golden Circle is not to missed! Explore the National Park of Thingvellir. Where you can see the impact of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates pulling away from each other and creating great cliff edges. The scenery is breathtaking! Check the phenomenon that is Geysir and the natural hot waters that explode from the earth. One of many areas in Iceland where steam will emerge from the landscape as it heats up below the surface and races to find a way out. The Golden Circle also holds a mammoth waterfall with rapids and drops that is a great example of the power of nature. Here you can delve into how Iceland uses its natural energy sources with a tour of the Geothermal Exhibition and Powerplant. Providing a fascinating insight into the storing of carbon and how the plant functions. There are so many interactive, insightful, and educational locations on this island, that you will be spoilt for choice. Just one of the highlights was visiting Vik and the Lava Show. A great example of how lava erupts is how it interacts with the environment around it and feels the heat from this demonstration. One to remember for sure!  From Geothermal Powerplants to black sand beaches to a live demonstration of how lava works, Iceland does cover it all. And with so many different choices you can select the correct elements to ensure your students receive the best opportunity to learn outside the classroom. Iceland is so different from other places I’ve travelled too previously. It’s barren but beautiful, it’s peaceful yet alive. As a living, breathing model for studies for GCSE and A-level geography, I would highly recommend you check it out! Take a look at our Iceland Study Tours Here! 

MSG\'s Jen and Jess Hit the Road As I start my new role at MSG Tours, I’m excited for my first dive into the world of sports travel. Despite it being a new start for me, I know that I can look upon the skills I have built throughout my life to get a good start in the industry. Early Years Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, I have loved to travel from a young age whether that was on family trips abroad or summer camps across Canada. Despite not knowing it at the time, this was the foundation that would set me up for the career I am pursuing now. In high school I completed an exchange program with my family in Nantes, France allowing me to put my French language skills to the test and solidifying my love for travel. When it came to picking my university, I chose a school that had a strong study abroad program meaning I could complete 6 months at the University of Tilburg in Netherlands during my 3rd year. I finally graduated with a Bachelors in Social Development Studies and Business. Travelling the World After my time at university, I started living, working and travelling abroad where I predominately worked in hospitality and customer service in the hotel industry. My first stop was Asia, spending a year teaching English on the small South Korean Island of Geoje before travelling to Vietnam to embark on a 3-month, north to south cycle from Hanoi to Hi Chi Minh City. I briefly returned home to work in a busy city centre hotel in Ottawa before heading back across the globe to backpack around south-east Asia for 4 months.  My travels then took me to the land down under where I worked for 6 months in a hotel in Melbourne, Australia before a further 2 years travelling and working in New Zealand from Holiday parks to orchid farms. Settling Down in Derby I have now happily touched down in Derby where I’ve spent the last 2 years building many transferable skills in the recruitment industry as an account manager. However, I decided that it wasn’t the industry for me, and I’m now very excited to pursue a role in a field that has always been at the forefront of my life – travel! I’m excited to join a small but strong team, working on interesting projects and developing my career with MSG Tours.

Josh Short Joins MSG Tours As a BSc Sports Coaching graduate from the University of Brighton working in Sports Travel wasn’t an avenue I really knew about, let alone explored as a career path. However, I find myself in the industry for a third time with a fresh and exciting business, MSG Tours.  My Sporting Start As a youngster, I played several sports competitively (rugby, tennis, football, basketball & cricket), but basketball was the one that led the way for me. From the age of 14, I was given my first exposure into coaching as I led the year 7 basketball team, which continued until I left for college.  Whilst at University, I got my first taste of ‘sports travel’ without realising it at the time. I worked initially as a group leader before progressing into roles with more responsibility over 4 summers for organisations offering foreign language summer camps in the UK, for overseas students. Organising the activity provision for the summer camp was a great opportunity to deliver varied and interesting activity and excursion programmes for the students visiting the settings.  Following my final summer placement, I became the head coach of the men’s university basketball team. The two years of coaching gave me great experience and opened the door for my first full time role as a community coach in London.   Starting in Sports Travel Despite basketball being a huge passion of mine, I came to realise that my career aspirations were not going to be reached. However, I was able to use my experience in coaching to aid my start at Edwin Doran Sports Tours where I started as a Sports Tour Operator. Here I operated tours to varying destinations such as Barbados, Sri Lanka, UAE, Holland, USA, Canada and more. The job also allowed me the opportunity to visit the likes of Sri Lanka, Holland (as a Tour Rep), Canada and the Czech Republic.  After 2 years, I chose to pause my role at Edwin Doran, as I took a year away to embark on a Working Holiday to Australia in the summer of 2019, which included a 5-week trip to New Zealand. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic we returned to the UK after an incredible 9 months. Due to limited working opportunities, we had to restart our careers out of my Mum’s house which found me working in IT Sales for 2 years. I learned a lot during this time but ultimately, I was itching to return to sports travel and was able to do so as a Senior Tour Operator and Team Lead back with Edwin Doran in the summer of 2022. During my return, I expanded my experience and have now been involved in the travel operations of tours in over 30 countries across 12 different sports.  Returning to the Industry Working in sports travel is where I have spent the longest time post university and has given a lot to my career and my development as an individual. When speaking to different organisations during my recent break my partner told me that working in sports travel is “where I’m meant to be”. I have loved my time in the industry to date and I’m thrilled to return, this time with an exciting new company MSG Tours as their new Operations Manager.  From speaking with MSG Tours’ Founder and Director, Mark Gardner, I am excited to be joining an organisation that has a fantastic reputation in the industry and has been involved in great projects, such as the recent Rugby World Cup 2023. My new career home in MSG Tours will allow me to again further my experience in the industry and give me the opportunity to be involved in more life changing tours for supporters, clubs, students, and the military!

MSGs Mike Hendey on his trip to Barbados: As I arrived at Manchester airport, the nerves began to kick in….