The MSG Hub is here Back in 2017 we introduced a travel app called Vamoos into our touring packages. This app was a fantastic step up for MSG Tours and a unique way to enhance our customers tour experience. We were inundated with positive feedback from our tours that have previously used the app. As […]

Ambitious, energetic and thriving #travel brand expands with recruitment of new OPERATIONS and MARKETING roles.   Location:   Derby, DE24 8BF Contract:   Full time or part-time (up to 40 hours per week, Mon to Fri) Salary:        Negotiable – subject to experience. Start:           August/September 2019 or subject to the candidate. Perks:   […]

Action Man goes to Madagascar: My time in ‘Tana When my boss Mark Gardner, AKA ‘The Barista’, asked about my availability to go on a familiarisation trip to Madagascar, I tried but struggled to contain my excitement. For this trip, I would need to pack a scrum hat alongside a Boonie hat for the Rainforest, as the objective was to […]

We are delighted to announce our partnership with  YMCA Derbyshire over the coming months to give more young people the chance to learn outside the classroom.  What does YMCA Derbyshire do? The YMCA Derbyshire is an independent Christian charity committed to helping people at times of need, regardless of their gender, race, ability or faith. The work the YMCA’s does work varies from providing temporary accommodation to the homeless, right through to training individuals with the skills they need to get a job.  It is important to recognise the education system is not one-size-fits-all. Many young people fall through the net due to many different reasons. The YMCA Derbyshire works to help keep young people in education with their ‘Key College’. This college gives young people ages 16-19 (and up to 24 in some cases) a second change at education and also prepares students for working life.  “Students often arrive at Key College with a lack of self-esteem, confidence, learning difficulties, a background of homelessness or mental health issues. There is a reason mainstream education has not worked out for them and we are here to give them that second chance.”  – YMCA Derbyshire.At the Key College, students have a wide choice of courses to choose from travel and tourism right through to catering.  YMCA believe every young person should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and so do we! You can read about some of the Key College’s students here.  What will our donations go towards?“At MSG Tours one of our core goals is getting more children and young adults learning outside the classroom.  Travel is so important. It creates new opportunities and experiences that you can’t replicate in a classroom. We are excited to partner with YMCA to help raise funds for their annual Key College trip.”  – MSG Tours.In September, YMCA Derbyshire are hoping to take their Key College students for a trip to the seaside. A trip like this would mean so much to the young people, many of whom have never seen the sea or walked on a beach. Something so simple can have such a positive, lasting effect so keep reading to find out how to get involved. Some of YMCA Derbyshire’s Key College students and teachers. How can I get involved? For every tour booked, MSG Tours make a donation on your behalf towards the YMCA’s seaside trip. So join us on our mission to get more children outside the classroom – fill in our contact form and let’s get talking about your next school trip!

Well, I’m pleased to say that I’m still here! I officially made it through my first week at MSG Tours, and I couldn’t be happier. Arriving at the site of MSG Tours’ office is an inspiration itself; a £4 million investment to the iconic former Rolls-Royce building, with the infamous British brand in 5-foot letters […]

New Supporters Tours Super Saturday is upon us, with Wales facing the Irish for their first Grand Slam title since 2012. While the English pray for a loss to the home team in Cardiff, as a proud Wales supporter I’m predicting a 21-16 win to our boys at the weekend. What are your thoughts? Tweet […]

So your patience has paid off. Those hours banging your head against the wall as you crept from 99,891st in the queue all the way to confirming that payment have borne fruit. You’ve shattered 2 laptops and an ipad in response to scheduled maintenance on the website and your dog pulling out the charger but it’s […]

[text_output] INTRODUCING MIKE HENDEY [/text_output][text_output] Fresh from the wonders of the far-east, Mike explains what drew him to MSG Tours [/text_output][text_output] It’s always daunting, stepping into an office on your first day. It didn’t help that I’d also been away from an office for the past 14 months. Where do you sit? When do you offer to make a brew? What is everyone thinking about the new guy? How do you turn on this stupid computer? I’m a week in now, have switched on the computer several times (by myself) and today received a detailed tutorial on how to make coffee to MSG standards (no mean feat when your boss’ alias is ‘The Barista’), so all is going well. Firstly a little on my background. I’ve worked in travel for around 8 years now in one capacity or another. It’s taken me to some weird and wonderful places and introduced me to some fantastic people. I began by working overseas as an English teacher in Chengdu, China. On my return I fortuitously stumbled into a job assembling round the world trips for excited back packers at STA Travel. Next followed a stint arranging event weekends (particularly hen and stag dos) before my love for China overcame me and I found myself back out east guiding for tour groups in Yangshuo.   Below: Mike working with local masons in Nepal for All Hands and Hearts, helping to rebuild schools following the devastating earthquake in 2015[/text_output][image type=”thumbnail” src=”18871″ alt=” href=” title=” info_content=” lightbox_caption=” id=” class=” style=”][text_output] Sadly I couldn’t sustain the pace my party loving tour groups set so I decided to give my body a rest by returning to England and beginning work arranging educational tours for school groups. After two years of both operating and selling these trips, I decided I wanted to try educating them myself, I mean how hard can it be? Absolutely exhausting is the answer as it turns out. So it was bags packed again as I began work once more in the far east as an Outdoor Educator. Primarily it involved teaching kids, through activities and team challenges, how to communicate and develop social confidence. Long days, lots of noisy students, hundreds of flights all over China but an incredible and eye-opening experience that took me to every corner of that amazing country. [/text_output][image type=”rounded” float=”left” info=”popover” info_place=”right” info_trigger=”hover” src=”18866″ alt=”Mike and his team on tour in the deserts of Inner Mongolia ” href=” title=”Mike and his team on tour in the deserts of Inner Mongolia ” info_content=”Mike and his team on tour in the deserts of Inner Mongolia ” lightbox_caption=” id=” class=” style=”][text_output]Above: Mike and his team on tour in the deserts of Inner Mongolia[/text_output][text_output] So I’ve got a fairly broad background across a range of areas. Which is what has led me to this new adventure at MSG Tours. The company’s ethos of Delivering the Unexpected is exactly what I have always tried to do. I love the idea of taking your average tour and finding ways to make it stand out from the crowd. There is so much of the same out there to choose from that I’m privileged to represent a company who want to do things a little differently. I’m also that guy who claims ‘I could have made it’ when it comes to football having been involved with Nottingham Forest and Leicester City as a lad. Sadly it wasn’t to be but I have maintained a love and passion for the game that I know will translate into our sports product. So here’s to 2019 and the beginning of an exciting chapter with MSG Tours! [/text_output]

Whilst a picture paints a thousand words, there’s no substitute for capturing a great event through video. MSG’s Sporting Saturday 2018, sponsored by British Airways and Catapult, returned to Cardiff’s Radisson Blu to celebrate our 3rd birthday and the airline’s new direct routes to Durban and Osaka. Here are some highlights of a superb day […]

Sporting Saturday 2018 What a day and what an autumn!  We turned three, Wales went four from four and five top speakers joined us for Sporting Saturday at Cardiff’s magnificent Radisson Blu, sponsored this year by British Airways. Old friends mixed with new, renewing touring fables from lands as far apart as Argentina and Auckland.  Some lucky […]