What are your areas of specialism?
Football youth group camps are available. The idea is to give students a taste of what it’s like to be coached by professionals and to experience a different culture by going to Germany.
They have a week’s coaching and an opportunity to go on museum visits and city tours. Some groups have an opportunity to spend an hour learning German each day. On top of that, I offer coaching and games against locally matched teams for youth and adult groups – that is for men and women, boys and girls.
What are you doing that’s unique?
Any group has the opportunity to learn a bit of the language as well. I’ve asked the coaches to also incorporate some German in the training sessions too. I don’t think there are too many others doing that.
What kind of teams take the opportunity?
The levels vary. I have a school group going over next year and that is because their sports teacher said they would like to go to Germany, have coaching sessions, visit museums and play a local team. There are also some groups who only want to have the training and no arranged matches.
Through my partnership with the Goethe-Institut – Germany’s cultural institute, which operates worldwide promoting knowledge of the German language and fostering international cultural collaborations – we have groups made up of students from around Europe where the focus is on football, culture and learning German; so it’s a mixed bag. One thing that I’m working on, which will probably be coming online in 2025, is walking football – specifically for those who may have been injured and can no longer play at pace or for those who want to get fit again.
What made you decide to set up your travel business?
I have a passion for football, I love travelling, have worked in the travel industry for over 30 years and also have an affinity with Germany; it was really a no-brainer for me to set up something like this.
When I retired from the German National Tourist Board, it seemed to me a natural progression to do something that would keep me active and also keep that connection with Germany and football.
Is what you are offering helping change perceptions of Germany?
Absolutely, I worked for the German National Tourist Board in London for many years. One of the things that I always strove to achieve there – and I believe I was able to do – was get people to understand that Germany is not just for city breaks.
There are lots of things that you can do. There are lakes and mountains and lots of trails to go hiking. There’s a variety of sports and music events, fashion and cars. There’s so much that one could do in Germany other than just visiting for a city break or stag and hen parties.
Over the last decade, perceptions of Germany have changed. There are so many places in Germany where you can watch a game and then go off the beaten track. The North Rhine-Westphalia region was heavily industrialised back in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s – some of the places have changed now. An area in Duisburg that used to produce coal and steel is now the popular Landshaftspark, which is well worth visiting.
Do you work with the travel trade and pay agents commission on bookings?
Yes, there are two ways of doing this. Travel agents can buy the package at net price and put their own add-on to it or I can give them the package with a commission. I am open to discussing what suits the agent best.
I arrange the matches and the camp packages. Agents would then organise the transport for their clients themselves.
Is sports tourism a growth area?
Sports tourism is on the rise – passive tourism in particular – with travellers wanting to have a leisurely spectating experience rather than actively participate. There is also a growing demand in the type of programme I offer.
I think the trend reflects a growing interest in relaxed enjoyment of sporting events, a little bit of cultural immersion and, of course it is augmenting the demand for spectator-friendly destinations and experiences.
Can you organise tickets for matches?
We offer match tickets, so clients can have a match day experience. They can either buy relatively cheap tickets and just go and watch the game or, for example, if one wants to impress a client they can purchase tickets with hospitality and have more of a VIP experience.
Can you get tickets for any stadium?
Pretty much, yes. Obviously, the bigger games are more difficult and more expensive to obtain. I’ve had a few requests for second division games.
What is it about the German Bundesliga that makes it worth experiencing?
The starkest comparison to UK leagues is affordability. German clubs tend to be owned at least in part by the fans, which helps to keep the prices at an affordable level. You still have the same excitement of attending and watching a match.
Are there any clubs that stand out as being popular to watch?
Borussia Dortmund is very popular and will be well-known to those who watch the Champions League. FC Cologne is another popular team. We have an academy in Augsburg, down in Bavaria. It’s in a beautiful part of the country and very worthwhile visiting.
Have you got a favourite Bundesliga stadium?
The Dortmund Westfalenstadion, or the Signal Iduna Park as it’s now known – the atmosphere is fantastic. The ‘Yellow Wall’ experience – Europe’s largest terrace of standing spectators, wearing the club colour of yellow – is something that all ought to see.
I also like the Berlin Olympiastadion, the Olympic Stadium with all its history, which featured in the UEFA Euro 2024 Championship. Indeed, most stadia in Germany are worth a visit because they offer a warm and friendly atmosphere and they’re also very family-oriented.
Why is combining sightseeing with watching sports attractive?
From my personal experience, when I’ve been somewhere to watch a match, I like to see a bit of the city that I’m in and learn a little bit about it.
A lot of football teams have evolved from the town or city where they are based, so that part of the culture is good to tap into as well. I believe others are probably thinking in the same way.
Are you offering similar experiences elsewhere?
As far as the football camps are concerned, they are only in Germany at the moment. I believe in starting with what you know, and I have many contacts in Germany, so that was an obvious place to start. It could well be that we widen the scope in the future.
For match day tickets that’s not just Germany.
