TCBC SCHOOL TOURS - Key Persons
Anna grew up in Russia. After she graduated from school, she moved to Estonia to pursue a higher education. As a part of her curriculum, she had to go abroad for one term and ended up in Nuremberg, Germany. After her exchange was over, she decided to continue her education in Germany and only returned to Tallinn 4 years later with a diploma in International Business.
Anna has always been passionate about travelling and inspired many of her international friends to take a trip to her home country - Russia. Joining TCBC meant that she could bring her travel enthusiasm to work. Having started as a Tour Specialist, taking care of trip logistics, Anna shifted her focus during the pandemic and was installed as TCBC's Marketing Manager. In this position her passion for travelling crossed paths with her major university focus - Marketing and PR.
"When I lived in Russia, I always believed that St Petersburg was my favourite city. After several years in Europe, I can't say that my opinion changed, but I definitely get fascinated by the multicultural vibes of Berlin and colourful sceneries of Madrid. However, my heart melts every time I think of how small the distance between Tallinn and St Petersburg is… So yes, St Petersburg is definitely my number one."
Anna helps to keep the Finance Department running smoothly and up to date. Her love for numbers and currency was developed whilst working for several foreign exchange companies and we are delighted she is able to use that valuable experience at TCBC.
As TCBC grows, so does the Finance Department and Anna's meticulous attention to detail and knowledge of exchange rates ensures we are getting the best deals not just for TCBC but for our customers too.
Anna's favourite city is London. "I like it for its great architecture, variety of parks and museums and dynamic atmosphere. You can still see much of London's history in the present day lying alongside some striking contemporary buildings. It is this combination which makes it a very attractive and exciting place for me."
Ben was the first person to join Dan in the early years. With a similar background in Russian and several years of sales experience, he was the perfect choice to help grow the business after the very positive and encouraging beginning.
Ben is involved in all aspects of the business, but enjoys communicating with clients most of all. "We form strong relationships with our clients many of whom we have known for years. I believe the emphasis we place on the personal touch, both on the phone and when we meet teachers in person at their schools and on tours, is what sets us aside."
"I love Berlin and am always looking for excuses to go back. It offers a fascinating mix of history, politics, culture and entertainment, plus the U-Bahn makes it so easy to get around. It's easy to understand why this is one of our most popular destinations."
Chris has spent the majority of his working life in school travel, with his first taste of the industry back in 2001 shortly after returning from a 6 month jaunt around South America. Originally starting out in Operations, Chris finally found his true calling in Sales and enjoys building tours that meet all the needs of the groups, and having that operational foundation ensures that no stone is left unturned and the best possible quality of service is provided.
With over 20 years of experience, Chris has covered a range of tour types to a myriad of destinations from short trips to London, through to tours of Canada and beyond, plus even bringing groups from as far as Australia over to Europe for a three week Concert Tour taking in the main cities and sites of the continent.
However Chris' favourite destinations are still within Europe and with an ancestry that hails from Poland, the Baltics and Scandinavia; Chris enjoys providing the means for students to learn and understand the vast history and culture that Europe has to offer. As Chris says; "As for my favourite places it's a toss up between Tuscany in Italy with its wonderful hill towns such as San Gimignano or the city of Krakow and the poignancy of what nearby Auschwitz offers as I had relatives that lost their lives there. Visiting in person, brought everything to life, and cemented all the stories I'd heard growing up as a child".
After 10 years studying Russian, followed by 15 years as a Tour Manager, leading thousands of students on school trips worldwide, Dan was well placed to start TCBC School Tours.
Following a providential meeting in St Petersburg in 2005 with alma mater Manchester Grammar School, Dan founded TCBC that year and was in charge of MGS's February 2006 tour to Russia, TCBC's inaugural tour.
At the time Dan was living in Tallinn, Estonia, the perfect base from which to visit Russia regularly to ensure the smooth running of the early tours and grow the business. In 2012, with the destination list expanding into Europe and beyond, and with his own family growing, Dan decided to move back to the UK to manage TCBC's development.
Based in Cheshire, Dan travels regularly, meeting both clients and suppliers in various locations and occasionally heading back to Estonia to check on the Tallinn office staff. Dan still has the same drive and motivation to keep TCBC a trusted and respected brand amongst school tour operators, believing wholeheartedly that TCBC offer some of the best tours out there.
"I'm delighted with the success of TCBC and the unexpected way in which it became a family business. It has always been my main goal to offer each school travelling with us the same high level of service we have become known for and treat every client as if they are our only client. To this extent we are very conscious of managing our growth responsibly. I still get the same buzz when a new school books with us - I know they have made the right decision and our team will do everything possible to prove this."
"Picking a favourite city is tough, but I'd have to go with Tallinn. I've spent a lot of time there and still visit as often as I can. There's a charm and an atmosphere about the Old Town, with its cobbled streets, its stunning views from the Upper Old Town and its position as a port resting on the Baltic Sea. Estonia's geographical position so close to Russia lends Tallinn a dynamism and an energy you don't feel in other places. The culture and language, so different from Russian, jump out at you and make you wonder every day how people co-exist so well. Tallinn is a very technologically advanced city and it's not unusual to see small robot delivery droids waiting at the lights to cross the street with you."
When Diane joined TCBC she sealed the status of "family business". After a distinguished career in sales, Diane was persuaded to leave her position an...
When Diane joined TCBC she sealed the status of "family business". After a distinguished career in sales, Diane was persuaded to leave her position and team up with Dan & Ben to help grow the company. She has since cultivated a database that any educational school tour company would be proud of. No opportunity gets missed.
Diane strongly believes that with growth comes extra responsibilities and it's more important than ever that TCBC continues to manage our clients' expectations as closely as we always have. For Diane, it's a delight to be a part of a successful family business - you are constantly motivated to do well!
"I fell in love with New York the moment I arrived. The excitement, the hustle and bustle, the intoxicating atmosphere all appeal to me. It has a little of everything and I will be going back to explore further!"
Job Titles:
- Head of History / Bishop Luffa School
Lynsey brings a huge amount of knowledge and expertise to TCBC having worked for over 25 years in the school travel industry. Her various roles have allowed her to travel widely and gain a wealth of experience along the way.
Lynsey loves working in school travel as no two days are the same and says "Operations can be challenging at times, but it is all worth it for the reward of seeing your group enjoying a tour, which they will hopefully never forget."
Lynsey is originally from Newcastle upon Tyne but after undertaking a German & Business degree in Liverpool, she settled in the East Midlands.
Her love of the German language has taken her to Germany many times. It's no surprise therefore that her favourite city is Berlin. "As a German linguist I have lived and travelled extensively in Germany and the one city I keep returning to is Berlin. It's the perfect destination for a school trip with so much to see and full of history. Highlights for me include viewing the Berlin skyline from the Reichstag Dome, exploring the street art of the East Side Gallery and seeing first hand how history impacted lives at the Berlin Wall Memorial. My personal standout still remains running through the Brandenburg Gate to complete the Berlin Marathon in 2017."
Mila is a valued and experienced member of our Operations team, working with a range of destinations, but primarily managing our Baltic tours. Originally from Moscow, Mila has degrees in Law and Interpreting, from the prestigious Lomonosov Moscow State University (MGU) and also works as an English teacher. Mila's previous work experience means she can turn her hand to almost anything and loves paying close attention to all the details involved when planning itineraries and meeting customers' requirements. Mila is at her happiest working closely with her teammates to help students discover the amazing world around us.
"There is no place like home. The city may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I'm absolutely sure that anyone can find something special in Moscow. Yes there are big boulevards, people and cars everywhere, huge buildings - at first glance it can appear overwhelming. However, with the right guide, perhaps wandering off the tourist track, you can also find many small cosy streets with quirky buildings and tempting cafés :)"
Job Titles:
- Contracts and Safety Manager
For Natalia, being Contracts and Safety Manager at TCBC is a wide and varying role. It involves contracting with and auditing suppliers, making sure that every accommodation and coach company we use meets the recommended Health and Safety standards. Every aspect has to be questioned, checked and then checked again.
Natalia is fascinated by educational tours and believes that the most important thing in life is to give children the opportunity to see, learn and experience the world. Natalia loves good music, strong coffee and when things are arranged and systemised to perfection.
Job Titles:
- Head of History & Politics / Ryde School
Rebecca spent over 10 years in the travel industry working for a number of large tour operators before joining TCBC. She also spent time as a secondary school teacher mainly teaching Travel, Tourism and Aviation as well as a bit of History, Geography and humanities. Her role at TCBC is the perfect mix of both travel and education so now she gets the best of both worlds and as a result is very passionate about her job.
"I really enjoy travelling and I love immersing myself in different cultures. In my personal life I have been lucky enough to see quite a lot of the world including South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Egypt, Dubai and a lot of destinations around Europe.
I love the buzz that travelling gives me, it sparks excitement and curiosity and I love that I can pass my passion on to the students who travel on our tours. Fortunately, my job has also allowed me to travel extensively and since joining TCBC, I have had the privilege of visiting most of our destinations.
It is hard to pick a favourite destination as I have learned so much from all of them, however, Washington DC stands out for me. I was lucky to visit at a time of year when the weather was fantastic and the beautiful cherry blossom trees had just come into bloom, it really was stunning. I really liked how laid back the city felt. It has a lot of green open space for such a major city, whilst steeped in history with famous buildings and monuments around every corner."
Ruby grew up in Hong Kong and moved to London in 2013, joining a big international tour operator in their group travel department. She spent 10 years there, operating group tours of all kinds and sizes in destinations across Europe. Ruby has now brought this knowledge and experience to TCBC and is excited to be focussing on school group travel.
Ruby loves travelling. She has been to more than 25 countries and definitely wants to add more to this list. Spain is her favourite country and this has encouraged her to learn Spanish, as she believes that learning a language is like getting a second soul.
Although operating group tours can be challenging, Ruby is happy and proud to be given the responsibility to make your tour a success. The metaphor she always uses to describe her job is that "someone has offered me a pizza base and I am the chef who decides how to arrange the toppings to make it look nicer and yummier, and to make sure it doesn't get burnt!" In her case, the toppings are the entrances, the meals, the transfers, the guides etc and she has to put these in just the right way, in the right place at the right time, to make sure our groups enjoy their tour with us.
Barcelona is Ruby's favourite city. "This Catalan city has a unique character and really has it all - art, culture, history, architecture, a relaxed vibe, nice weather, fabulous food, wine, nightlife and shopping and even some nice beaches close to the city."
Stephanie is perfectly placed to help TCBC with the educational content of our tours. A history and government and politics teacher for 13 years with masters in Education and Public History for museums and galleries, Stephanie is passionate about teaching, travel and writing. She has previously worked with BBC History magazine, the National Gallery, and the United States Navy Museum. She completed her bachelor's degree at Oxford and Princeton.
Even better, in her capacity as a teacher, Stephanie has led a number of tours with TCBC over the years, acting as Group Leader on trips to Berlin, Washington DC and Moscow and St Petersburg.
Stephanie advises and guides TCBC on the curriculum, on the relevance of our tours to the courses being taught and regularly keeps on top of changes to syllabuses. She enjoys creating bespoke plans matching schools with the best activities and attractions, often suggesting new and interesting visits that crop up from her research.
"There's something so amazing about being able to do a job that is also your passion. I'm very lucky and it's a real privilege to put the tours togeth...
Zoi has worked in travel for the last 30 years, her main role at TCBC is within the Operations team, where she spends her days making sure that all bookings are in place for our tours. Sounds simple, but of course, there's lots of work involved and Zoi is incredibly organised and efficient, always wanting to ensure the best possible outcome for our groups.
The Battlefields is a rapidly expanding area for us and Zoi is also our Battlefields guru. She's heavily involved in the sales process as more and more schools travel to the Battlefields with TCBC.