‘Australian Cricket Tours’, has evolved from my ‘Waving The Flag’ (a.k.a. I am proudly the only Australian spectator to have seen Australia play in all Test nations (plus the U.A.E.) until Afghanistan and Ireland were granted Test status last July! I've seen Australia play 1st Class cricket in Ireland so look forward to Australia's inaugural tour to Kabul to tick the box on that country! After my
first cricket tour to the West Indies in 1995 I have since lived in London (still on my Australian passport!) and why our 'Cricket Experiences' are quoted in Pound Sterling (GBP£). From originally offering rudimentary tours of match tickets, a bunk bed, and yellow shirt, The Flag matured to fully escorted tours including choice of quality hotels or apartments, airport transfers, domestic travel, day trips, nightly entertainment, and so much more. Amid all these extra-curricular inclusions and additions, The Flag remained focussed on getting you to enjoy cricket across the world with an excellent group in a fun, welcoming, and importantly safe environment, understanding the game visits places far less comforting that your living room. Travel habits have changed markedly since my first tour when one had to visit Australian Embassies to read future tour squad selections in Australian newspapers. Now with everything at your fingertips, you can research and book your cricket travel online from the comfort of your living room but ultimately may still wonder ‘what happens when I get there?’ What I came to appreciate is that the game is far more enjoyable when with others. The affections of The Flag within ourselves was infectious and bound everyone with such enthusiasm that more and more ‘Flaggers’ travelled together year after year. Not only to stay safe in numbers but knowing life at the game together made a far more memorable trip. Many Flaggers have travelled the world independently, driving, hiking, biking, walking, cruising, or flying across 7 continents. They, along with many, know how to travel and do not need their hands held on a ‘cricket tour’ but nonetheless always want to join us and why we are 'Cricket Experiences' rather than a cricket tour. As such we have evolved to bring people together at the game and little else. For each match we create 7-night Experiences including two nights before the test match and 5 nights of each test in 3 or 4-star hotels (depending on the city), two dinner parties, a commemorative tour shirt, and your all-important match tickets. We leave you to get to and from the airport using convenient pre-paid taxis, public transport, or booking a hotel transfer. We leave you to do your preferred sight-seeing, though suggest group experiences should the test end early. And when we distribute match tickets at our dinner, we will detail how to get to and from each venue. As simple as our Experiences are we are still there to assist as required just as we would with a ‘fully inclusive tour’, we just leave you the freedom to do what you want before or after each match, when you want, however you want… without the need to pay for inclusions you just don’t need or want. Importantly for you, my living in the UK doesn't change my passion towards Australia. Not long ago a couple chose not to 'Flag' because they thought it best not to go with a U.K. company so as to keep their money in Australia. They subsequently flew an Asian airline to stay in foreign owned hotels, take day trips hosted by local tour operators, and spend hundreds if not thousands of Australian dollars in local currency. You are going to watch cricket on foreign shores so your money will leave Australia one way or the other so please consider the experience, knowledge, simplicity and value we bring to your cricket travel, rather than where we are based. I look forward to your joining us at Australia's next overseas^ Test Match*. Luke
*^We only travel outside Australia and only watch Limited Over Cricket if scheduled with a Test Match Series.
