Marathon Tour Operators
What are the best marathon tour operators? Why use a travel agency specializing in running?
Published November 17, 2022
Tave you ever thought of using a travel agency to organize your marathon trip to the other side of the world? An increasing number of tour operators specializing in running are now offering packages including race number, route and sightseeing. Here's how they work, and a list of travel agencies you really need to know about!
Why use Marathon tour operators?
A Tour Operatoris simply another name for a Travel Agency. When you decide to do a Marathon on the other side of the world, it can sometimes be complicated. Not only do you have to book your race number (which can be tricky to get), but you also have to think about accommodation, meals, sightseeing and all the paperwork you'll need to prepare in advance. It's often a fairly lengthy stay that you need to anticipate in advance. If you don't want to get bogged down in all this organization, the Tour Operators are there for you.
A turnkey solution
When you go through a Marathon Tour Operator, all you have to do is decide which race you'd like to do, how many days you'd like to spend on the trip and what activities you'd like to do. Based on this information, the agency will organize your tailor-made trip. They usually specialize in Marathons or Half Marathons, which attract the most tourists, but some also offer 5K and 10K events.
You'll be given a package with a detailed schedule of your days, activities and, most importantly, pre- and post-race logistics. In the end, all you have to do is pack your bags and think about preparing for your race. The tour operator takes care of the rest.
The (high) added value of Agences
It's hard to sign up for a successful Marathon on your own. These include the 6 World Marathon Majors. When you register for one of these races on your own, you have a one-in-a-million chance of being drawn and taking part.
However, travel agencies specializing in marathons have agreements with race organizers. A certain number of race numbers are reserved for tour operators. This enables them to distribute them to their clients. So you're more likely to get a race number with these structures, rather than on your own. A considerable advantage!
Why use Marathon tour operators?
Here's a non-exhaustive list of Marathon Tour Operators we've identified for you. If you're looking for specific agencies, we've sorted them by category.
The (high) added value of Agences
👉 Corsica Sport Travel
If you want to shop in Corsica, this is the agency to go to. It covers all the sporting events on the island of beauty. Between the Porto Vecchio, Ajaccio and Bastia Marathons, you're sure to find what you're looking for.
👉 World Marathon
Looking for something a little more original than the 6 World Marathon Majors? You've come to the right place. World Marathon 's portfolio includes races such as the Chinese Wall Marathon, the Bagan Temple Marathon and the Petra Marathon in Jordan.
👉 Marathours
Looking for new sensations? The agency has a well-stocked catalog of original destinations and marathons. These include the famous Médoc Marathon, the Volcano Marathon in Iceland and the Polar Circle in Greenland (ideal for losing a toe 🙃). For the record, their head office is in Quebec, so they're outside France, but French-speaking.
👉 Travel2run
This Belgian tour operator sets itself apart from its competitors with its wide choice of unusual destinations. If you'd like to discover the famous wind-burnt lands of the stony moors, the agency has Michel Sardou's famous Connemara Marathon song in store for you.
The cool extra
👉 Sports on board
Les Sportifs à Bord is the only agency to offer race numbers for short distances. If you want to do a 5km or 10km race on the other side of the world, you can use this tour operator.
👉 Running contrasts
In addition to their services (race numbers, travel arrangements, etc.) and the number of races they offer, Contrastes Running also makes customizable T-shirts available. A great concept if you're setting off with a group of runners!
Contact:
Site : contrast-running.com/marathons-et-trails.html
Mail : contrastes@contrastes.com
Telephone: 04.93.87.28.63
👉 Voyage Marathon
The agency hasexclusive rights to the Disneyland group'svarious races. Set off for the Orlando Park Marathon or stay local by taking part in the Princess Run at Disneyland Paris.
Big travel agencies
👉 Havas Voyage
A major French and international travel agency, Ouest-Voyage (part of the Havas-Voyage network) is a member of the closed circle of partners of the New York Road Runners, organizers of the New York Marathon. Its short list of running destinations also includes the Montreal Marathon.
Contact:
Site : http://www.ouest-voyages.com/index.php/marathons/
Mail Paris: paris@ouest-voyages.com
Telephone Paris: 01.45.49.37.37
Mail Le Mans : lemans@ouest-voyages.com
Telephone Le Mans: 02.43.24.20.51
👉 TUI Sports
An industry giant, TUI is the official tour operator of the New York and Berlin Marathon Majors. Its list of destinations includes only the world's best-known races.
👉 Planet Tours
This agency is in this category for its wide choice of destinations. It is one of the agencies offering the largest number of Marathons and Half-Marathons in the world. Over 40 races are featured on their site.
Contact:
Site : planet-tours.fr/nos-voyages/
Mail : info@planet-tours.fr
Phones: 06.51.79.83.56
09.50.43.20.78
01.40.93.00.13
The Classics
👉 Amicale Française des Coureurs de Fond
The organization has only 4 marathons, but not the least. These are, of course, the most famous in the world. They include Berlin, London, New York and Rome.
👉 France Marathon
TheFrench agency offers a multitude of fairly general Marathons and Half-Marathons in their race catalog. Among the must-sees are the Chinese Wall, Tomso and Loch Ness.
Contact:
Website : france-marathon.fr/nos-voyages.html
Mail : contact@france-marathon.fr
Telephone: 04.67.15.61.77
👉 Sports Tours International
With over 17 races in its catalog, Sports Tours International is one of the best-known international race travel agencies. It has race numbers for Dublin, Washington, Tokyo and Chicago.
Contact:
Website : sportstoursinternational.fr/
Mail : info@sportstoursinternational.fr
Telephone: 06.47.97.97.75
👉 Runners without borders
Between Tomso, Geneva, Athens and the list goes on, they have a fine catalog of classic races. If you're an avid hill-climber, keep your ears open. In addition to road races, the agency also has race numbers for trails.
Contact:
Website : coureurs-sans-frontiere.com/
Mail : contact@coureurssansfrontiere.fr
Telephone: 03.81.49.95.38
👉 Passions Performances
This Belgian tour operator organizes trips to the 4 corners of the globe and offers runners bibs for famous marathons. These include the Paris Marathon, the Prague Marathon, the Berlin Marathon and the Valencia Marathon. The classics!
Contact:
Site : passions-performances.com/voyages-marathons/
Mail : info@passions-performances.com
Telephone: +32.02.646.34.82
For each of the agencies presented, we have taken care to highlight their contact details as well as their websites. To get an idea of prices, you need to contact the agencies directly to draw up a quote and tailor your trip. We hope this list of travel agencies specialized in running will help you make your choice.
Happy running and safe travels!