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Venture Abroad
Band Tour Information
Performing
Over the past 35 years, we’ve established an enviable reputation for operating successful band tours for groups ranging from the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain to town bands the length and breadth of the country. Our experienced and dedicated team has developed a growing network of loyal concert organisers in many countries; ensuring that we’ll always find the right venues for your band. Our in-depth knowledge of our destinations means that we know what time of day attracts the largest and most appreciative audiences, and which venues are most suited to you particular style of repertoire.
Your tour experience
Taking your members on tour is a great way of focusing the band musically, bonding socially and motivating everyone involved. But it’s also about experiencing the country you’re visiting and having fun!
Our Concert Tour Consultants know each destination we feature, and can give you the best tips for having a good time. Whether it’s visiting the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin or having a night out with Flamenco dancing in Barcelona, we know exactly how to complete your tour experience!
Sometimes it’s the little things that make a tour really memorable – and they’re the extras you just can’t get from package tours. As we create each trip from scratch – just the way you want it – you are free to make any special requests to us. If you would like a surprise birthday cake, or flowers for your soloist or conductor, or a celebration meal on the last night of your tour, then just ask - it really is not a problem!
Advice you can trust
Your initial contact will be with one of our experienced team, many of whom have a strong musical background and still enjoy performing regularly. Our experience gives us a great understanding of your musical requirements. If you’re considering taking your band on tour and would like some advice, please take advantage of our no obligation consultancy service. No tour is ever pre-packaged or pre-determined and each one begins with your ideas, combined with our experience and our very latest knowledge of the destinations you have in mind.
Meet us in person
We’re very proud of the personal and longstanding relationships that we’ve established with many of our bands and it’s always a pleasure to meet with you in person. New or seasoned tour leaders alike are always very welcome to call in and meet the team at our new offices in Derby (travel expenses covered by us), or we can come to meet you. Whether you’d like us to give a presentation and hold a question and answer session for the band to promote the tour, or whether you’d prefer a meeting regarding the final details of the itinerary, we’d be delighted to meet you.
What's Included?
Couriers
All our tours are accompanied by a courier (unless you specify otherwise); we think it simply makes your job as group leader much easier! Couriers liaise with the hotel and concert venues, discuss your itinerary with the drivers and can introduce your concerts if you wish. Many are musicians and all speak the language of your chosen destination (apart from the Netherlands and Belgium), leaving you free to concentrate on the performance and enjoying your tour.
Tour Support
Your talents, combined with our knowledge, experience and up-to-date expertise come together to create a memorable and rewarding Concert Tour. Our team of dedicated staff is a mixture of musicians and linguists, many of whom have worked in the destinations you’ll visit. You and your concerts are the reason we’re in business, and we’re proud to be a tour operator who puts music at the forefront of what we do. As well as the on-tour support of your tour courier, there’s always 24-hour support available from our senior staff in the UK, where one of our team is always on duty to assist if necessary.
Publicity
Our close relationship with venue owners allows us to distribute our eye-catching publicity ahead of your concert to ensure your performance is a hit. Included in your tour is publicity for your concerts and we will complete this by promoting your concerts through the local papers, ‘what’s on’ guides and websites. You tour courier will also carry additional handbills for on-the-spot publicity.
Getting there
We know how much room your instruments and equipment can take up in the hold of the coach. That’s why we include an instrument trailer in every coach tour, so that you don’t have to worry about how you’ll fit everything in on the morning you depart! Most of our groups who fly arrange for a couple of their players to drive a van across to their destination with their instruments. Many of them do this every year and agree that it’s the safest and most economical way to transport their instruments over long distances.
Financial Security
Rayburn Tours is proud to offer you additional peace of mind, with financial security in the form of ABTA bonding and ATOL licensing.
Fun Files – evening entertainment support pack.
The Rayburn Tours Fun File is a free booklet brimming with quizzes and game ideas that will keep the fun going after a great day out and about.
There will be a number of evening excursions available that your trip courier or coordinator will be happy to arrange for you, however, for easy and low costs evenings in, the quizzes and games within the booklet can be used to plan full evenings of activities or perhaps just to entertain the group whilst travelling around.
Here are a couple of ways in which you can use the booklet:
- Plan a whole of evening of games and events
- Plan a quiz night
- Long journey? Use the Fun Files to pass the time
- Unexpected delay? Keep this booklet handy to keep everyone occupied
When planning your excursions, why not speak to your Tour Coordinator to find out more about the Rayburn Tours Fun File pack?
6 Simple Steps to Booking
Step 1 – Enquire
One of our dedicated Concert Tour Consultants is on-hand to take your enquiry via phone or email. Your enquiry will get passed on to a member of our team with expert knowledge of your chosen destination. We will discuss the aims and objectives of your tour with you before providing you with a bespoke tour quotation.
Step 2 - Quote
Your quote will be sent to you as promptly as possible. It will detail the price of your tour, the inclusions and any added extras you previously discussed with your dedicated contact person. Once you have received your quote, it is important that you check all of the inclusions carefully so that any amendments you require can be included at this time.
Step 3 - Approval
Following your acceptance of our quotation we can provide you with:
- Safety Management System Policies and Risk Assessments relating to your tour
- PowerPoint Presentations to present the tour to your group
- Some fund-raising ideas to make the tour achievable for all
- A visit from your Tour Consultant who can give a presentation to your Band about your tour
Step 4 - Deposits
Set a payment date for group members to finalise their deposits.
Step 5 - Booking Completion
Once the deposits are in, fill in the booking form and send it back along with either a cheque or BACS payment to Rayburn Tours to finalise your tour reservation.
Step 6 - Plan your Itinerary
Following your booking confirmation a Concert Tour Co-ordinator will work closely with you to fine tune your itinerary and performance venues, which will be designed to meet the specific needs of your group.
