FTA member Tour Partner Group helps travelers discover sacred places, explore religious heritage, and create meaningful connections along the way.
For some travelers, standing inside a centuries-old cathedral is a chance to admire beautiful architecture. For others, it’s the culmination of a spiritual journey they’ve dreamed about for years.
That distinction is familiar to members of NTA’s Faith Travel Association (FTA), whose work connects travelers with destinations, traditions, and experiences that hold deep personal meaning. Among them is Tour Partner Group, a European destination management company (DMC) helping faith groups explore the places where their religious heritage took shape.
“Faith groups travel with a purpose, and that changes the whole nature of the work,” the company shared. “These are people who have often waited years to stand in a particular place, and they arrive knowing exactly why it matters to them. Getting the details right carries real weight.”
A familiar name with a European reach
Longtime NTA members may recognize Tour Partner Group by the name JacTravel, founded in London in 1975. In 2020, several established destination management businesses came together under the Tour Partner Group brand, combining decades of local knowledge and industry relationships.
Today, the company operates offices in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Copenhagen, and Palma de Mallorca, with programs spanning the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Nordics, the Baltics, and continental Europe, including France and Germany.
Across Britain and Ireland, centuries of Christian history remain visible in cathedrals, abbeys, and pilgrimage routes. Canterbury remains the seat of the Anglican Communion, while Epworth and Bristol hold special significance in Methodist history. Farther north, pilgrimage routes to Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, date back to the 11th century.
For tour operators, these destinations offer practical advantages alongside their religious significance. Groups can visit four or five nationally significant sites in Britain and Ireland in a single week without lengthy transfers, including opportunities to attend services at active places of worship.
Tour Partner Group also maintains a dedicated North American team, combining personal service with the resources and local expertise of a major European DMC.
Following in the footsteps of St. Patrick
One way to experience the appeal of faith travel is through Tour Partner Group’s 10-day Follow in the Footsteps of Saint Patrick pilgrimage across Ireland.
The journey begins in Dublin before traveling north to Downpatrick, traditionally believed to be St. Patrick’s burial place. Nearby Saul marks the site where Patrick is believed to have established his first church, while Struell Wells has welcomed pilgrims for centuries.
In Armagh, travelers celebrate Mass at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral before continuing west to the Marian shrine at Knock and Ballintubber Abbey, where the historic pilgrimage road to Croagh Patrick begins. The journey continues through the Ring of Kerry and the Rock of Cashel before returning to Dublin by way of Glendalough’s monastic valley.
Throughout the itinerary, Mass is celebrated at four locations, with time for reflection rather than moving travelers quickly from one attraction to the next.
The pilgrimage is one of 18 itineraries in Tour Partner Group’s new faith travel brochure, which includes Catholic pilgrimages, Christian heritage journeys, Methodist heritage tours, and programs combining coach and rail travel.
Creating experiences beyond sightseeing
Imagine attending Sunday morning worship alongside the congregation at Wesley’s Chapel in London, receiving Holy Communion at the New Room in Bristol, or celebrating Mass in the Apparition Chapel at Knock.
These are the experiences Tour Partner Group incorporates into its itineraries, allowing travelers to participate in religious traditions where they originated.
“A pilgrimage is not simply a tour, and we plan every element with that in mind, including the details that matter most to faith groups and are easiest to overlook, from service times to quiet space for reflection.”
Those details require careful planning because no two faith groups necessarily travel with the same expectations.
Catholic groups, for example, often travel with their own priest who wishes to celebrate private Masses throughout the journey. Arranging those services means securing churches, coordinating schedules, and obtaining local permission.
Tour Partner Group works with local clergy, guides, and venues to create programs reflecting each group’s traditions. The company also arranges visits to lesser-known religious sites and works with guides who understand their historical and spiritual significance.
For tour operators, that expertise can be valuable. Tour Partner Group contracts hotels, coaches, guides, and venues directly, allowing groups to travel across multiple countries through a single point of contact.
The next generation of faith travel
While traditional church groups remain important to the faith travel market, Tour Partner Group is seeing new opportunities among families and younger travelers. Multigenerational journeys are becoming increasingly noteworthy, with grandparents bringing children and grandchildren to explore religious heritage and family history together.
“We are seeing grandparents bringing children and grandchildren on heritage journeys, which broadens the age profile of a traditional faith group considerably,” the company shared.
Denominational anniversaries and ancestral church visits are also generating interest, particularly in Britain and Ireland. Younger travelers are showing an appetite for experiences offering a deeper sense of purpose.
Still, these changing interests bring challenges. Different denominations may have entirely different expectations, even when visiting the same destination, making specialized knowledge and advance planning essential.
For FTA members, these evolving interests highlight opportunities in a market where understanding the purpose behind a journey is just as important as knowing the destination.
Connections that last beyond the journey
Through NTA’s Faith Travel Association, members like Tour Partner Group are part of a community serving travelers seeking experiences rooted in faith, heritage, and purpose.
For Tour Partner Group, the rewards extend beyond creating itineraries. The company has built lasting relationships with group leaders who return year after year, often bringing new congregations to explore different destinations.
“The relationships last too. Many of these group leaders come back year after year with a new congregation, and over time you stop being a supplier and become part of how their program works.”
For travelers following the footsteps of a saint, discovering their religious roots, or sharing a spiritual journey with loved ones, the experience can leave an impression that lasts long after they return home.
Learn more about NTA’s Faith Travel Association and its community of travel professionals.
Click here to view Tour Partner Group’s faith brochure.
