Is it December already? I guess the old saying is true – time really does fly when you are having fun!
At Ultimate Driving Tours, we didn’t think anything could top last year, but then 2023 came along and astounded us all. From new tours and team members to forging deeper connections with our amazing guests, it’s been a year of constant ups.
Now, as the festive season allows us all to take a breather, you can join me as I reflect on a memorable twelve months – starting with our record-breaking year in numbers.
Our year in numbers 🎉
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Why was 2023 such a superlative season?
Continuing where we left off last year, we began 2023 with a packed calendar. We had supercar tours taking place across more than 12 countries, a trip to the 30-year anniversary of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and an unforgettable visit to Las Vegas among many others.
High on our list of wins this year was hosting a record number of guests on our driving tours – a total of 340 enjoying bucket-list experiences across three continents. We also ran a greater number of events, both old favourites and some new tours in different countries. This included the launch of our new European delivery packages; unforgettable luxury European drives that give Porsche or Mercedes-Benz owners a unique way to get to know their brand-new cars.
Not only have our tours made more dreams come true than ever before, but this year has seen us grow as a team and develop as a business. We’ve welcomed talented new team members to Ultimate Driving Tours, who are helping us ensure that 2024 will be our biggest and most amazing year yet.
While our team grew, so too did our fleet of latest-release supercars, with the arrival of our delicious new Aston Martin Vantage F1 Roadster, bursting with raw power, British sophistication and track-ready performance.
We attracted global attention
Our work in the luxury travel industry hasn’t gone unnoticed this year. Here’s a snapshot of what the media have had to say about us:
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We celebrated all-new experiences
The headline new experience this year had to be the brand-new Las Vegas Grand Prix. Set against the glitzy backdrop of Sin City, this was one event everybody wanted to see – and we had front-row seats.
Despite a bit of a rocky start with interrupted practice sessions and damaged cars, the debut Las Vegas event was amazing. Not only was it a riveting watch and arguably F1’s most interesting race of the year, but also a great show – as you may expect from the entertainment capital of the world.
I’m sure the kinks will be addressed before next year’s race, but it ended up being a fab weekend and one that we can’t wait to build more experiences around.
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We uncovered hidden gems to explore with our guests
There’s no denying the awe-inspiring views of Milan’s Duomo or the Swiss Alps, but this year has been about unearthing hidden gems alongside the more popular tourist destinations in Europe.
Naturally, following the global pandemic, Europe’s visitor numbers surged and many of the best-known destinations have become incredibly busy. Our mission to deliver a sense of uncharted wonder and exclusivity continues to inspire us to explore lesser-known regions and venues.
Selecting a standout hidden gem from 2023 is tough, but I can’t overlook the countryside south of Munich around Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Talk about picture-perfect, the landscape of this region features a beautiful mix of mountains, lakes and lush rolling hills. You are also never far away from incredible history and architecture, such as Neuschwanstein Castle – the enchanting fairytale palace that inspired Disney’s very own.
Despite such allure, this area hasn’t garnered international attention or the coverage enjoyed by the ‘sexier’ destinations, such as Tuscany, the French Riviera or the Swiss Alps. Not that we are complaining. In our pursuit to take guests beyond the beaten track, we are planning to incorporate the Bavarian Alps into more of our journeys.
Within this area, there are some lovely hotels and resorts, but I just adore visiting Schloss Elmau – a luxury spa retreat hidden high in the Bavarian Alps. Without doubt, this is one of the most incredible hotels, not just in this region but all of Europe.
Twice the host of G7 summits, this privately owned property is located in a remarkable national park and offers magnificent views of the surrounding Alps. However, Schloss Elmau is a next-level retreat for more than its setting. A myriad of exceptional spa options, ten restaurants, a yoga pavilion, concert hall and library, all delivered with impeccable style and service to match. No wonder it’s become one of our favourites – which you can fully enjoy during our signature European Supercar Tour.
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We kept in touch with our community of guests
It may sound a touch cliché, but our guests really do become part of our extended family. Enjoying such exclusive experiences together can create a bond that lasts a lifetime.
This has certainly been the case in 2023, as we’ve noticed even more guests actively staying in contact after their tours. We have shared WhatsApp conversations with each group that we host, and most mornings we wake up to messages in different chats with guests sharing snippets of their lives, families, new cars and more with their newfound friends.
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We shared special moments that created everlasting memories
We’ve enjoyed so many tours this year, yet one of my favourites is our Tuscan Supercar Tour. We have spent a lot of time in this gorgeous region, building relationships with the owners and operators of some very unique and exclusive experiences. This one-of-a-kind tour is the perfect balance of beautiful supercar driving complemented with very special activities specific to Tuscany, including exploring the culinary treasures of Florence, exclusive wine tastings, a truffle hunting excursion and more.
With the exception of one couple, everyone on this year’s Tuscan tour had been past guests, so we knew almost everyone attending and everyone knew what to expect. From the very beginning, it was an incredibly relaxed week and a very fun group to host.
Over half the guests have already gone on to book tours for next year. This is something we have seen a lot in 2023, where guests book to join us again very quickly after an experience concludes.
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We continued to evolve and enhance our tours
We are committed to continuously evolving and developing our experiences, in the way we host them, our systems, our processes and our people. Over the last year we’ve made some important hires in the business and, as our team and their expertise has grown, so has our ability to delight and inspire our guests.
As we move forward, our focus continues to be on building technological solutions, allowing us to streamline and automate different areas of the business. This gives our hardworking team more time to focus on what matters – providing the best guest experience from the moment people come into our orbit, to their experience on a tour, to their ongoing relationship with us after a tour concludes.
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A sneak peek of what’s in store next year
There we have it – it’s been quite the year for Ultimate Driving Tours, and now we can’t wait to dive into 2024. Of course, all our most popular driving tours will return in 2024, while we continue to increase our offering with new events.
After such a packed year, we are certainly looking forward to a little downtime during the holidays, but it won’t be long until we get started on our 2024 plans. Next year we will be expanding our global footprint significantly in terms of both where our events take place and our partnerships. We will also be adding to our fleet in Europe and abroad – because who doesn’t want a shiny new toy to play with?
We’ll be sure to keep everyone updated along the way, but for now you can talk to our expert concierge team to learn more about our bucket-list driving tours in 2024. From the whole team, we wish you the happiest of holidays and a very exciting new year!
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