By Alice Kiewiet

The Appointment Group (TAG) has today announced the creation of its latest division, The Appointment Group Global Sports (TAG Global Sports), which will offer a dedicated travel service to professional sports clubs and Governing Bodies providing team, tournament planning and corporate travel services.

TAG is established as a market leader in travel and events for the entertainment, film and media and corporate sectors. The growing International Sports markets for both participation and spectators has been identified as a significant opportunity for TAG to demonstrate their enviable reputation for travel logistic management, whilst also providing exclusive sports event experiences to its international clientèle.

The TAG Global Sports operation is very much part of the overall investment into the Manchester operation. The Manchester office will be working closely with TAG offices globally in order to both fulfil its sporting clients’ operational needs whilst providing exclusive client experiences to prestigious international sports events.

To drive the new division forward TAG has appointed John Harding as Operations Director. John has over thirty years’ experience and knowledge in devising and delivering sporting group and event programmes. Having started as a junior consultant in 1979, John’s career expanded from corporate travel into specialist MICE and sports travel sectors for companies in the sports industry.

John Harding commented “I am delighted to have been appointed to develop TAG Global Sports. The Sports market is such a dynamic Industry and one in which I am confident TAG will raise the bar. Our clients will certainly benefit from unbeatable service and the opportunity to experience the world’s greatest sporting events”.

Group Strategy Director, Andrew Hampshaw adds: “The primary driver behind our decision is the ever increasing number of sports clients we’re currently working with, for TAG it’s a natural step to launch our own specialist division for the market. We’ve recruited some of the most experienced people in sports travel to lead the brand. Over the next 18 months TAG expects to operate its sports division in all its overseas territories.”

The Appointment Group (TAG) is an award-winning global, independent travel and event management company. Its specialist business units, TAG Global Corporate Travel, TAG Global Touring, TAG Global Events, TAG Global Private Clients and TAG Global Film and Media provide high calibre travel and events management for high-end corporations, VIP individuals and luxury leisure travellers across an office network in London, Manchester, New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Melbourne and Sydney.

For further information on TAG Global Sports, please contact Alice Kiewiet on  +44 (0)20 8962 6769 or alice.kiewiet@appointmentgroup.com