HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SPORTS TRAVEL MANAGER
How you can work together to plan better professional sports tripsIN PROFESSIONAL SPORT, EVERY SINGLE DETAIL MATTERS…
It’s an industry where even the smallest oversight can be the difference between winning and losing. Sports travel has similar stakes, so we know how important it is to get it right. And it all starts with the relationship you forge with your specialist sports travel manager.
1. START WITH CLEAR COMMUNICATION ABOUT YOUR NEEDS
Your sports travel manager can’t anticipate every requirement unless you communicate them clearly from the outset. And communication is far more than just stating your ideal departure and arrival times.
Consider the specific needs of your sport. Do you have specialist equipment that requires careful handling? Are there weight considerations for rugby squads or height requirements for basketball teams? Do certain athletes require specific dietary accommodations during travel? The more detailed information you provide upfront, the better your travel manager can tailor solutions.
Para-athletes, for example, may need entirely different travel arrangements, and a specialist travel manager experienced in this area will know exactly what questions to ask. But they can only provide the right solutions if they have a complete picture of your needs from day one.
2. BUILD THE PARTHERSHIP EARLY, NOT JUST BEFORE BIG EVENTS
One of the biggest mistakes teams make is treating their sports travel manager as an ad hoc service provider rather than a long-term partner. The best results come from relationships built over time, not arrangements cobbled together at the last minute.
When you work with your travel manager consistently throughout the season, they develop an intimate understanding of your preferences, your team dynamics, and even individual athlete requirements. They learn which hotels provide the right environment for pre-match rest, which flight times work best for your schedule, and how to handle those inevitable last-minute changes that sport inevitably throws up.
This accumulated knowledge becomes invaluable during high-pressure situations like tournament travel or international competitions. Your travel manager becomes an extension of your team, anticipating needs before you even voice them.
3. BE HONEST ABOUT BUDGET CONSTRAINTS
Sports travel can be expensive, particularly when you’re moving entire teams across continents. But being upfront about your budget doesn’t mean settling for substandard arrangements. Instead, it allows your sports travel manager to find creative solutions that deliver the best value.
Perhaps you need business class for long-haul flights to ensure athletes arrive fresh, but you’re flexible on ground transportation. Maybe premium accommodation near the venue is non-negotiable, but meal arrangements can be more basic. When you’re clear about where quality matters most, your travel manager can allocate resources strategically.
Remember, an experienced sports travel specialist has relationships with suppliers and access to rates that might not be available to you directly. They may be able to stretch your budget further than you imagined, but only if they understand your priorities and constraints from the beginning.
GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TRAVEL PROGRAMME.
Want to work with a team that truly understands elite sports travel? Discover how Gray Dawes Sports can support you with decades of specialist experience.
4. SHARE FEEDBACK, BOTH POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE
Elite sport involves constantly shifting schedules, late tournament calls, and fixtures that change with little warning. While a good sports travel manager can handle urgent bookings, providing as much advance notice as possible dramatically improves what they can achieve for you.
Early booking typically means better rates, more choice of accommodation, and preferred flight times. It also allows for proper planning around complex logistics like equipment transport or visa arrangements. When your travel manager has time to work their magic, they can often secure upgrades, negotiate better terms, or arrange value-added services that wouldn’t be possible with last-minute requests.
Of course, the nature of sport means some things genuinely can’t be planned far in advance. In those cases, your travel manager’s experience becomes crucial, and having a strong existing relationship means they’ll pull out all the stops to make things work.
5. UNDERSTAND THEIR EXPERTISE AND TRUST THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS
You’re experts in your sport. Your travel manager is (unsurprisingly) an expert in sports travel. When they make recommendations, there’s usually solid reasoning behind them.
If they suggest a slightly more expensive flight option, it might be because it offers more reliable connections or better baggage allowances for your equipment. If they recommend a particular hotel, it’s likely based on experience with other sports teams and knowledge of what facilities work best for athletic performance.
This doesn’t mean you should accept everything without question, but it does mean approaching their suggestions with an open mind. They’ve likely encountered and solved similar challenges dozens of times before. From navigating complex customs requirements for specialist equipment to understanding which destinations require additional visa processing time, their accumulated knowledge is a resource you should leverage.
6. PLAN FOR THE UNEXPECTED AND BE FLEXIBLE TO CHANGE
Sport is unpredictable, and sports travel is no different. Weather delays, last-minute fixture changes, injury situations requiring emergency travel arrangements – these scenarios are part of the landscape. Your travel manager should have contingency plans in place, but you also need to be prepared for the reality that not everything will always go to plan.
The best approach is to discuss potential scenarios in advance. What happens if a flight is cancelled? Are there backup accommodation options if your first choice is unavailable? Having these conversations before problems arise means everyone knows the protocol when challenges occur.
A TMC like Gray Dawes Sports will be Always On and have 24/7 support systems in place. Make sure you know how to reach them in emergencies and trust that they’ll be there when you need them.
7. LEVERAGE THE FULL RANGE OF SERVICES AVAILABLE TO YOU
Many sports organisations don’t realise the breadth of services a specialist sports travel manager can provide beyond basic flight and hotel bookings. Are you organising a pre-season training camp? Your travel manager can handle the entire itinerary. Do you need to arrange travel for athletes’ families so they can attend important competitions? That’s another service often available.
The more you can communicate, the more efficient your travel management becomes. You’ll have a single point of contact who understands all aspects of your travel needs and can coordinate everything seamlessly.
Take time to explore the full scope of what your travel management partner offers. You might discover solutions to challenges you didn’t realise could be outsourced, freeing up your time to focus on what matters most – athletic performance and competitive success.