Rayburn Tours is an independent, family-run group tour operator based in Derby, specialising in educational trips, ski trips and sports tours for schools, as well as concert tours for all types of youth and adult ensembles. Sports Tours is based in Essex.

The combined business will now have a total turnover of £18 million and will be responsible for sending more than 43,000 passengers to worldwide destinations each year.

Jamie Boyden, joint managing director of Rayburn Tours, said: “We are delighted to have acquired Sports Tours as we are now ideally placed to expand our existing sports activity with sports tournaments and sport festivals throughout the UK and Europe.

“The acquisition, along with Rayburn Tours’ strong organic growth, has resulted in our turnover almost doubling in the last four years.

"The continued expansion increases opportunities for our employees along with providing fantastic and memorable experiences for even more young people.”