History of PP Travel - Since 1991
PP Travel is a specialist in "must do" events such as the Munich Oktoberfest, Royal Ascot racing, La Tomatina and Anzac Day in Gallipoli.
For over Three Decades our tours have been renowned for their quality, high level of organisation and most importantly - their FUN!
It all started for PP Travel back in 1991, with just two coaches heading from London to Pamplona, with a handful tents, a small number of keen hardworking crew and naturally some eager party going passengers. It did not take long for the word to spread with the then mainly antipodean UK-based community and PP quickly grew to the number one operator to these events, often operating over 20 coaches to Spain or Germany – with thousands joining us for each of these world-renowned events.
Three decades on and PP - "the Party Professionals" are still just as keen, still hardworking and continue to operate the best party tours to the major festivals and events. While the world – and travel - has changed remarkably over these years, PP still has the same owners, same management staff, and the same commitment to our passengers and crew that we had back when things started in 1991.
PP Travel - A Brief History
PP Travel's years of parties started with just two coach loads of passengers, three ground crew and only a handful of tents at the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona back in 1991. The idea was to run a series of very well organised, but also easy going fun tours to what were the founder's passions: Europe's biggest and wildest festivals. That first tour to Spain was naturally an amazing sangria-fuelled week of fun, run by a small group of "party professionals".
Originally known as "Kozzie Travel, (from Kiwi-Ozzie) - the Party Professionals", the initial success of that first small Pamplona trip lead the two couriers/founders, Colin "Bomber" Dale (Melbourne, AUS) and Debbie Neich (Lower Hutt, NZ), to taking more than three times the number of party-goers to the Oktoberfest just two months later. This was quickly followed up by successful tours to the Rugby World Cup and New Year's Eve "Hogmanay" in Edinburgh.
Within a few years PP was operating fleets of up to 20 coaches to Pamplona and Munich. Well over a thousand passengers crammed into their European campsite set ups along with hotel packages. They were also running similar passenger numbers to France, Ireland and Scotland for the autumn rugby internationals and up to Edinburgh for Hogmanay.
While the world and the way we travel has changed remarkably from those humble early days – clients certainly don’t jump into buses like they used to and something called the internet has come along and turned PP into a true international tour operator - some things have not changed for the "Party Professionals". PP Travel is still owned by Bomber and Debs. They are still dedicated to just the big festival/sporting destinations. The tours are still well organised, fun events with a hard-working dedicated crew.
The original idea and decision to go "on their own" was actually made at Pamplona a year earlier from that initial tour in a restaurant beside what became PP's "Beach 'n Pamps" camp at Zarautz. By being a "crew orientated" operation - selecting, training and looking after dedicated staff - they believed they could provide a quality service to the big party destinations for the then mainly London-based Aussies and Kiwis.
PP tours were an immediate hit. But their "offices" still remained very humble in the early years. As Kozzie Travel (now the formal company name behind PP Travel) their tours were sold in '91 and '92 from a first floor cloakroom of a Kings Cross pub “The Backpacker”. Then, for the next three years, thousands had to make the tube journey out to suburban Dollis Hill, to book their Oktoberfest or Hogmanay tours at the front door of a house. The main PP HQ was in the bedroom! In 1996 PP Travel moved Notting Hill Gate where the popularity of their tours continued to grow through 90s. Despite then becoming far the biggest operator in this market they avoided the temptation to diverge into other fields, concentrating still on what they reckon they knew best - running "good old Kiwi/Aussie party tours".
The new millennium brought great changes to the travel industry with most passengers now flying to these events with PP providing the packages and services required. Like it’s client base, the online age saw PP become an international tour operator – with events such as La Tomatina – Spain’s infamous battle of the tomato – grow in popularity. Our packages to England’s famed Royal Ascot race meeting really took off – mainly for the UK market –while other events, such as Hogmanay and San Fermin in Pamplona, dropped away during this period.
PP based itself in the heart of London’s West End, Leicester Square for 15 years from 2004 before operating fully remotely in 2019, like so many modern, agile businesses. This is something that certainly helped it survive the pandemic and will ensure it continues to prosper, party and provide genuine excellent service well beyond its initial 30 years. Our company Kozzie Travel Pty Ltd (Australian reg) trading as PP Travel (Tours), is domiciled in Australia where we continue to move between "Downunder" in Oz and over to Europe for the big events.
The Covid pandemic years were certainly difficult and frustrating ones - especially for those in the travel industry. PP's team are proud of the fact that every customer was immediately offered a full refund as each event was cancelled by the organisers – proving PP Travel's credentials as a long-term, quality tour operator – and one which clients can place their trust in. We bounced back into action in 2022 with long time employee Shane Baisden doing his IT magic and managing the reservations from Brisbane and Bomber planning the operations from Melbourne. PP Travel now concentrates our efforts on Anzac Day at Gallipoli, Royal Ascot, UK each June, La Tomatina in Spain and the Oktoberfest in Munich.
According to Bomber the reason behind the long success of PP is simple: crew. "It's the people who have worked for us that have made all the difference," he said. "You have to be organised - but most importantly - you have to have really good crew. We've been lucky to have had so many great people working for us over the years. These are fantastic enthusiast young adults who really do try their best, do care that the tour is a success and really want their passengers to enjoy themselves."
