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So, I have another question for you folks. The guys at Military History Tours have asked if I would be interested in creating and guiding a tour of my own. It sounds like a really cool idea, and a fun and rewarding endeavor. That said, it would need to be something that would actually appeal to people - I would want to have 15-20 people to make it practical. 

My concept for the tour would be an overview of WW1 from the French perspective. I think a lot of people may not want to admit it, but don't really know much more about how WW1 progressed than "lots of trenches and then the Allies won". So the tour would take 1-2 days for each phase of the war, showing a combination of the big picture of how the war was fought progressively through the conflict and also human-scale anecdotes of the action. Specifically:

1914 - The Marne/Frontiers. Mobile warfare and the near fall of Paris.

1915 - Trench warfare. Stagnation without innovation.

1916 - Verdun (and the Somme). New tactics truly industrialize slaughter.

1917 - Nivelle offensives - the Chemin des Dames. Armies reach the breaking point.

1918 - German collapse and Allied victory.

The cost would be $3000-$3500 per person, plus you cover airfare to get to France and back. It would include about 2/3 of meals and all lodging and site admission fees. We would be going to one or two museums and monuments, and mostly battlefields and forts. 

My question is, would people be interested in such a tour? As in, actually willing to pay for it? I don't know if this subject is one that would be interesting enough to fill up a tour. This would most likely be in the autumn of 2019. If the subject is not interesting but there is one in Europe that you would legitimately be willing to pay to join, please let me know what other topic would be of interest.

Thanks!

Comments

Anonymous

When would it be?

Anonymous

I would sign up for such a tour this instant if I had the funds. I think this sounds awesome.

Anonymous

That sounds like a remarkable experience and a phenomenal idea!

ForgottenWeapons

My concern is if people actually do have the funds to do it. :) The cost is pretty well fixed for this sort of thing, to make it possible - it's not about making a big profit, but rather whether it can be done.

Anonymous

YES. I'm already planning on going on their tours, so this would just be way better. Need to plan it a LONG time in advance though, a year or two.

Anonymous

The problem I have is what does the $3000 cover. How will the hotels , restaurants etc be. As I can just borrow a car and follow the bus for the tours and put my tent on cheaper campings.

Anonymous

It would depend on how well my saving goes, currently buying a house, so will have to see how it goes.

ForgottenWeapons

Yep, I totally understand. From my experience on my MHT tour this spring, the hotels would be good - not5-star suites, but nothing at all dive-y. The restaurants are equally good. IMO, the benefit of the tour is having all the arrangements already made, so you can focus on the history, and not finding your way to the hotel each night, etc.

Anonymous

I really would love to but I'm just a guy that just finished college lol I'm in debt. I hope you get to do it though! I'll be rooting for you and everyone that can go!

Anonymous

I think it's an intriguing idea. I would be interested.

Mark D Booth

Yes would love to do it.

Anonymous

That would be awesome. I am not the Francophile you are, but I would still enjoy the history and the site seeing. Too bad the funding just isn't there for me.

Anonymous

If I could afford it, I would absolutely go

Anonymous

I'd sign up if I could get the time off from work. Definitely interested though!

Anonymous

I would finally have an excuse to go on a vacation

Anonymous

I'd love (and I mean love) to do something like that. Sadly its out of my price range. But for someone like minded, who has the funds, it would be an amazing trip.

Anonymous

If it was something I could afford, I'd be interested in it. Do they do any discounts for couples?

Anonymous

Autumn 2019? Sign me up. Would have a few more questions, but I'll be settled in by then. Would just require more information for when the deposit would be.

Anonymous

I'll sign up if I can get the time from work

Anonymous

For any time in 2020 and the latter half of 2019, I would cut you a deposit check right now. The first part of next year, I probably won’t have the vacation time from this years travel.

Anonymous

Updated to say Autumn 2019 more than likely, so that'd probably fit that area.

Anonymous

That sounds amazing, but I don't want to be one of the 90% of people who say "I would definitely do that" and then definitely NOT do it, so I'll say it's interesting, but I'm not going to commit to anything.

Anonymous

Willing and able are two very different things, Ian. I suspect that of those who want to go, less than 1% will consider it feasible. Of those, half will back out when they start to tally up costs and try to arrange to miss work. Of those who remain, half will simply be unable to pay by the deadline. If I were you, I'd want to start with 100 people who are absolutely, positively going, to have any chance of 20 actually following through. On the other hand, a lot of collectors are pretty wealthy, and a fair chunk of your audience is already in Europe, so what do I know?

Anonymous

This. Very much this. I technically have the cash, I probably will technically have the cash next year, but blowing my wad on this would probably not actually happen.

Anonymous

Sounds great but I'm not in a financial position to partake unfortunately. I think you'd put together an excellent tour and be a great guide as well. If I could spend the money I'd be there!

Anonymous

I'd need more info before putting up $3k, but I'm definitely interested.

Anonymous

I'm definitely interested and should be able to save that amount up for the fall of 2019. How far in advance does MHT want the bookings to be made and money transferred to them though?

Anonymous

given enough time to save up I would be interested

Anonymous

I'm certainly interested. Given what a friend spends on her yearly trip to Germany, France, England, and/or Italy, this is a pretty decent value, especially when the content is factored in and that Gun Jesus will be the guide.

Anonymous

If I could, I would. If enough can, then go. I would love to hear about it.

Anonymous

I’m interested. I can’t swear to be able to go but if I can get off of work I’d be there in a second. Sounds like an amazing trip

Anonymous

It's not something I could do, but I think it's really damn awesome that you are seriously thinking about it and I hope enough people are able to do it that you could. I think it would be worth the money.

Raul Ramos

From my perspective, pros and cons. Previous statement that I live in Germany. A good tour with a background context is really what I would be looking for, albeit when you lack the context it is difficult to judge. Much of life has been going on, so aside of specific places it is difficult to get the proper feeling. This I know from my own experiences visiting WWII places. What I look on a guide is context more than raw knowledge and of course that is a likeable chap. I think you do posses those qualities, for sure you are very good explaining your knowledge and certainly you know how to give context. On the other hand I do enjoy reading and getting my own context. I hate to be passive. I value going to the places in order to challenge the information I have. I have never done a multi day guided tour because I am not one for being told what to do and all that. All in all my last trip to Eben Emael and bastogne cost me around 600€ for two people and 5 days. So I would be definitely interested and would look into it, however, in absolute terms it seems a bit to steep for me. I do trust that you might be good at it and if interests you I'd encourage you to do it.

Anonymous

Definitely! I'd love the length of the video the be at least 15min tho. I really enjoyed the recent inrange ww1 pond video as well as the French fort on FW.

Anonymous

It would be nice, but i dont hace the money, the kind of people who is really interested in this topic im sure they whould pay for it, so kind of war history related vacations or something.

Matthew Jackson

I'd be interested, and willing to pay, but my availability is pretty limited, so I should only count if you're planning for 2020+

Anonymous

My biggest problem with opportunities like this that I've run across before is timing. I'm a teacher. Summers work. Holiday breaks work. There is no way that I can take a week off in the fall.

Anonymous

Definetly interested! Pricewise- well, it will depend what the final lenght vs. price of the tour is! If we end up spending closer to two days on each “phase” thats 8-10 days total! 300-350$/ day is not too much to ask for accomodation, food and Ian as a guide?

Anonymous

I'm super interested. I legitimately want to tag along and I would pay the full price. Where do I get more information?

ForgottenWeapons

I'm still very much in the planning phase for this - once it's all actually finalized I will post it here and on YouTube.

Anonymous

I've been studying WW1 lately because of the 100th and all, and find it quite fascinating. But I personally would like a WW2 type tour. I know they exist, but having you do a "following Patton" thing like 3rd Army's March to the Rhine would be something I'd be willing to do. I know it would take awhile, possibly 2 weeks or probably more to "do it right" but something I'd work hard to make happen on my end. Thanks for asking.

Anonymous

Great idea, I'd likely go.

Andreas Nohl

Sadly I don’t have the money now. But what I’m missing is the duration and the size of the group you are thinking of.

Mustafa's Fleas

Would love to do such a tour... But, most unfortunately the decision is not mine but one of finance, or the lack there of! However, should the weeks LOTO ticket prove substantial...

Anonymous

Interesting. It’s only 20 people so it is hard for me to imagine it not filling up with 9-12 month notice. I agree that the itinerary and what is included should be spelled out. The fact that you will be there for the history and celebrity status, and that people don’t have to deal with the headaches of travel prep make it worth it. You may opt to reveal the cost plus fee to pay for your trip and Time. People understand that your Time and effort isn’t free. Saving or credit card.... people will attend. Build it and they will go...

Anonymous

It's not something I can afford. I wish you the best of luck getting a tour group together.

Anonymous

I would be interested for two. We were already looking into doing the Band of Brothers tour through Europe in October of next year, it runs around the same price. Of course doing it with Gun Jesus would probably be a whole lot cooler.

Anonymous

Hi ian. I think it's a great idea but I would like to see more "does" for your European supporters. The same goes for InRange.

Anonymous

We are not all American fans you know.

Anonymous

By which I mean (before people get pissed off) not all your supporters live in the States.

Anonymous

"lots of trenches and then the Allies won"..... Well, they covered Belleau Wood in history class while I was at MCRD San Diego, and I know a little about Passendale because of a Canadian movie about it, but otherwise, yeah.

Anonymous

Just a thought about the target group They would need to be interested in going though a lot of details, yet have not done much research themselves. Perhaps college students, particularly in history classes, would be interrested in such an in-depth tour.

Anonymous

i agree with Ian Gratton, we (guys from Europe) that are already 'on place' would love to jump in...

Anonymous

Really interesting. Coming from Belgium I would go to France by my own means and tour with the group. A colleague and I discussed about doing such a tour by ourselves but with such a guide :-)

Anonymous

I would be very interested in such a guided tour. However; because of work.

Anonymous

Ian, I would need as much advance notice as possible, to get the time off from work. Looking forward to getting more details. Please feel free to contact me directly at justin_chatov@yahoo.com

Anonymous

Sounds like a great idea, but no way I could ever make it. Having said that, I hope you have great interest and attendance, so you can record it and post it some time after!

Caspar Minning

Hello Ian, I as a Dutch fan would love to partake, but I would come by car or train. So if you could come up with a different package for locals (Europeans) that would be great

John P

I'd love to come but I don't think my budget would like that cost.

Anonymous

If I was rich and this was a WW2 tour I'd be all over it. When it's all said and done, me along with a companion would probably cost over $12K or more between airfare, misc costs and additional expenses along with the $3500 a person fee. That is some serious scratch.

Brian Reddeman

I remember before I got married and had a kid when $4k was nothing :)

Anonymous

My wife and I are going through a WWI history phase (we watch the Great War series on YouTube and I have been going through a lot of WWI books). Lately we have been saying to each other how much we would enjoy doing a WWI guided tour of France. With enough advance notice we could pull together the necessary funds. Count us in!

Bruce Brodnax

Scandinavia [any of it] is generally more expen$ive than the rest of Yurp, so getting a group rate for stuff in Finland would likely have a better ROI for the time invested in organizing the tour. PLUS all the other stuff mentioned by Mr. Walker above, plus nobody else exploiting that niche [to my knowledge] = better chance of filling your docket.

Bruce Brodnax

Seems like you need to have a 3-way breakdown on pricing, Ian: base rate for the itinerary & your guiding services, another rate for the above + accommodations [for those who can arrange their own trans] & a third for the full trip. Might want to coordinate meals separately, so maybe group dinners w/ you at the end of the day are in all 3 tiers, but the full-boat level also includes the other meals? Dunno, seems like this could turn into a real logistical nightmare if you try to make it appealing to all your followers both 'murrican & yurpeen... ;-) Wish you luck, but I'm scraping by so I'll have to give it a pass, regardless. :-(

Anonymous

I would absolutely sign up for this if I could afford it, but right now I can’t.

Anonymous

I have wanted to go on a battlefield tour for a long time but just can't find the time with work commitments and a family it seems impossible :(

Anonymous

Definitely interested. If you included the battle of Amiens and the 100 days offensive you could probably run the tour with Australians alone.

Anonymous

I would absolutely sign up for this, but not in the next year.

Anonymous

This sounds like an awesome adventure, I could probably con a friend or two into doing it.

Anonymous

I would absolutely do this. A friend and I had discussed doing such a trip a couple months ago.

Anonymous

My wife and I would love to do this, however a new baby just happened a few days ago...take that history-tour dreams! I know that really doesn't help your numbers, but I wanted to support your efforts. Keep it up, good sir!

Anonymous

I would be up for it but for the fact that that the flights alone would cost an arm and a leg. I live in Australia...

Anonymous

Very interested in this.

Anonymous

I enjoyed this year's less focused tour, so an in-depth French perspective sounds even more appealing. 2019 budget has a very large entry in it now. Any idea of tentative dates? Asking so I have a rough idea of what my PTO situation looks like next year.

Anonymous

As long as it's not near Thanksgiving or Christmas, that'll work.

Anonymous

October 2019? Maybe I can go too. In 2020 I can for sure.

Anonymous

I would be interested this absolutely. I am living in europe next to france so I don't even need a flight.