History of ECT
- Details
- Category: About Us
Company Profile
European Connoisseurs Travel (ECT) is an experienced group tour operator specialising in European short breaks by coach and air, with a multilingual team who speak German, French and Spanish. We organise quality tours for a wide range of individual social clubs, staff associations, special interest groups, colleges and students.
We offer a selection of short city breaks to popular destinations such as Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Prague, Dublin and trips to events and visitor attractions such as the traditional Christmas markets of Germany, the Royal Glasshouses at Laeken and Monet’s Garden at Giverny.
ECT is renowned for providing customised programmes for groups with specialist requirements. For example, special floristry workshops have been devised for NAFAS members who wish to combine an education program with entertainment and sightseeing.
We do not sell our services to the general public; only to specific interest groups.
Our Strengths include:
- A long proven track record of organising successful group tours
- Experienced, team of group travel professionals
- Excellent negotiating skills that ensure high quality and value for money
- High degree of customer satisfaction and repeat business
- Ethos of ‘Quality with Care’ and individual attention to detail
- Crisis management certification and support; staff at ECT takes part in an ongoing programme of ‘Code Red’ training. In the event of any unforeseen incident occurring, all ECT employees are ready to respond in a professional manner to the needs of our customers and their relatives.
Company history
European Connoisseurs Travel BV was started in 1993 by Theresa McDermott. The company’s principal activity was ‘ground handling’; in other words, making group travel arrangements on-the-ground, such as sourcing and contracting hotels and local guides, as well as itinerary planning. Subsequently, the client base extended and services were offered to other European destinations including the UK.
1998: The Company added to its activities by setting up its own programme of weekend breaks by coach to Europe for groups, direct selling by telephone and by mail to social clubs, staff associations, special interest and retired groups from all over the UK.
1999: ECT opened an office in Berlin, successfully complementing our sales efforts to German customer groups.
2001: ECT applied for Investors in People accreditation and became one of the fastest companies in the South West to reach the required standard.
2002: Received its ‘Investors in People’ certificate in May 2002.
2004: In April 2004 ECT BV became a British company trading as European Connoisseurs Travel Limited
2010: In September, ECT became a British Airways Appointed Operator providing competitively priced group air fares.
2010: ECT joins in October as a Corporate Member of British Florist Association (BFA)
Theresa McDermott was President of Bath Chamber of Commerce 2005-2009, Chair of Bath Tourism Plus 2005-2008 and a board member of UK Inbound and the Society of Floristry both for 2 years.
Our customers include:
Marks & Spencer/ DVLA/ Spire Healthcare/ NHS Hospitals/Land Registry Offices Borough Councils and County Councils /Proctor & Gamble/ UK Further Education Colleges/ University Staff Associations/ Church Club Groups/ U3A’s/NAFAS/Gardening Clubs/Police Clubs
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