Our Story

Our Story

Nirvana started business over 25 years ago delivering the travel and accommodation infrastructure around the Great North Run, the world’s biggest half marathon. Today it is a strategic partner and major supporter of some of the world’s biggest sporting events and their athletes, officials, and dignitaries. However, at its heart it is still a family business passionate about sport and travel. Over the years the company has developed a well-defined process, the “Nirvana Way”, by providing its customers with a portfolio of services to support their event. This level of service has been acclaimed by sports men and women at all levels, from world champions to the charity fun runner.

The team has a range of specialisms across travel planning, contracting, logistics, marketing, communications and IT, all focused on supporting our customers to help them achieve their sporting ambition. This long-term association with major events across the world gives us the ideal skill set and knowledge to deliver the travel and accommodation strategy for large organisations, groups as well as individuals travelling to or taking part in a sporting event or activity.

  • 1999

  • 2002

  • 2005

  • 2008

  • 2009

  • 2011

  • 2015

  • 2018

  • 2019

  • 2019

  • 2021

  • 2022

  • NIRVANA IS BORN

    Originally the company began life solely as the official Great North Run travel & accommodation partner. However, over the subsequent years we have firmly established ourselves in the world of event travel, accommodation and logistics as a niche event travel company. Providing specialist travel and accommodation packages to sporting and leisure events worldwide, the personal approach by a team of sports-minded enthusiasts ensures each event package is geared towards the needs of both event participants and spectators.

  • BRITISH TRIATHLON PARTNERSHIP BEGINS

    As part of our ongoing collaboration with British Triathlon, we provide travel solutions which enable athletes and spectators to concentrate on their event preparation. Such services include ATOL-protected flight bookings, airport transfers, accommodation, bike transportation, event transfers and experienced ground support. We very much see ourselves as an extension to the GB teams and thrive on assisting with all facets of event travel.

  • NIRVANA BECOMES AN IRONMAN

    Through our Official IRONMAN status, we provide a range of athlete-friendly travel & accommodation solutions to thousands of participants and spectators from around the world, making those crucial arrangements to take the stress away from their IRONMAN trip. Our aim is, and always has been, to allow complete focus on training in the lead-up to the event and, once they have arrived, full enjoyment of their event experience.

  • TRUSTED WITH THE ELITE

    Following our extensive involvement with the Great Run mass participants, and the expertise we had gained since 1999, we were proud to be asked to manage the Great Run/Swim Series Elite athletes’ travel requirements (including the likes of Mo Farah, Jo Pavey, Kerry-Anne Payne, David Weir and Jessica Ennis-Hill).

  • LOOKING AFTER BOLT

    For the inaugural Great Manchester City Games, we were trusted with the travel & accommodation requirements for Usain Bolt and his management team.

  • NIRVANA LINK UP WITH ETU

    Our reputation and competence as a provider of travel and accommodation services was identified by the European Triathlon Union as an important component in providing a permanent and continuing layer of professionalism to the accommodation and travel arrangements for ETU Championship events.

  • SHIP MY TRI BIKE LAUNCHED

    In 2015, the market leaders in European triathlon travel & logistics and the leading specialists in European overland bike transportation came together to provide the very best overland bike transportation service around! Working in collaboration, Ship My Tri Bike by Nirvana Europe transports your bike – fully assembled – from anywhere in the UK and Ireland, removing the stress and hassle of disassembling and reassembling your bike before and after an event.

  • BHOYS ON BOARD

    After working successfully with Celtic FC during the 2017/18 European campaign, we will be supplying Celtic supporters with Official Travel Packages for the club’s European away matches, in conjunction with Celtic FC Travel.

  • CELEBRATING 20

    2019 saw Nirvana celebrate 20 years in the event travel industry and we are proud to have contributed to our customers event journeys and aspirations over the years. From our humble beginnings of providing Great North Run “park and ride” services back in 1999, to now being world leaders in multi-sport travel, we are as focused as ever to evolve our travel, accommodation and logistical services.

  • NIRVANA TAKE ON THE OLYMPICS

    For the 2020 Paralympic Games, Nirvana offers a full range of services – from event ticketing across all venues, hotel accommodation, ATOL protected flights from all major UK airports and itinerary planning amongst other logistical support.

  • WE ARE SPARTANS

    Nirvana was delighted to join forces with Spartan as Official Travel Partner for Western Europe. An exciting experiential sport in obstacle racing, Spartans from all over the world can now enjoy stress-free travel, whilst exploring some of the world’s most breath-taking event destinations.

  • NIRVANA GO GLOBAL WITH IRONMAN

    Following 17 years of service and delivery to IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 athletes across Europe, NIRVANA and IRONMAN agreed an extension to the partnership which covers events in North America and Oceania across 2023.

  • 10658

    Happy customers

  • 8462

    Flights booked

  • 6947

    Race entries sold

  • 116

    Countries delivered in

MAKING YOUR
LIFE EASY

  • Worldwide Events

    Packaged and bespoke travel, accommodation, and logistics services to the world’s greatest events.

  • Flights

    Expert reservation team working across all major International, Domestic and Chartered carriers. All flight bookings are ATOL protected and air freight equipment services are available.

  • Accommodation

    A range of hand-picked hotels, selected by the Nirvana In-Resort Team for their athlete friendly services and access to and from the event site.

  • Race Entry and Event Tickets

    Nirvana’s partnership arrangements with the events they support, includes availability of entries and tickets for a selection of sold-out events, exclusively for clients booking a Nirvana package.

  • Sports Equipment
    Transportation & Storage

    Safe transportation and storage for your equipment removes the stress from your travel experience.

  • Destination
    Management Service

    We extensively research event locations to obtain local knowledge, expertise and resources in order to provide the best travel services possible.

  • Event
    Consultancy Service

    However big your event, we provide a comprehensive management service which
    can be tailored to your requirements.

  • Day Trips
    and Excursions

    Looking to enhance your event experience and explore your destination? We can provide you with a menu of options.

  • Athlete-friendly
    Meals & Catering

    We arrange athlete-friendly catering at event hotels to ensure that your preparations are as precise as possible.

  • Event Transport
    & Logistic Experts

    Our experience and knowledge can help make a real difference to your event aspirations.

  • Airport Meet and Greet
    with Return Airport Transfers

    Our airport transfer service is available to event participants and spectators and offers an efficient, comfortable journey.

  • Nirvana Europe
    Ground Support

    Looking to enhance your event experience and explore your destination? We can provide you with a menu of options.

Our Team

Join the team

The Nirvana team believe in one collective more than any other – delivering the best experience and service for customers.  Our dedicated team spans continents, with full-time office-based staff at our Newcastle-Upon-Tyne HQ working alongside project managers from as far as Australia to Arizona.

The last 12 months has witnessed significant growth in the team, coinciding with our most demanding and successful period across events worldwide, and this is just the beginning.