A Leeds entrepreneur and educational travel expert is launching a unique school trips provision for schools across the UK to meet a growing demand for tailored excursions designed to educate, inspire and boost cultural capital.
Tom Bedford is now spearheading Ottimi, which will be an offshoot of Max Ski, a family-run Leeds business that has delivered bespoke ski trips for more than 30 years. Ottimi takes a unique approach to school trips, understanding the wider importance of educational travel and its impact on students’ mental health.
Its experiences are designed not only to educate but also to help youngsters boost their self-belief and confidence, increase resilience, and foster a sense of belonging through subject-focused trips and experiences. As part of its unique offering, Ottimi provides talks from inspiring individuals – speakers who’ve faced real-life challenges and come through with stories of determination, hope, and purpose.
Ottimi’s launch comes amid a growing demand from the school inspection body OFSTED for schools to consider how they promote cultural capital through the experiences they offer, as well as a response to increasing mental health issues reported in students.
Tom, CEO at Ottimi, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be launching this new offering to schools across the UK. We’re passionate that school trips should be experiences students take back into the classrooms and carry them forward both academically and personally.
“We believe travel is transformational. It sparks ambition and creates lifelong memories. But great educational travel isn’t just about moving from place to place. It’s about experiences that change how young people see the world and their place in it.
“This could mean unforgettable trips, but also inspirational talks with visionary leaders, skill-building workshops, and new ways to learn beyond the classroom. We’re already seeing demand for cultural tours to South Korea, Performing Arts trips to New York, and have delivered competitive sporting adventures such as Netball in Barbados and Rugby in Italy.”
The new venture is a response to a growing demand from schools for Max Ski’s tailored approach to be applied to a broader range of subjects and destinations, all year round. To mark its launch on June 2, Ottimi announced the winners of £20,000 worth of prizes for schools, including an all expenses paid three-day, two-night trip for 40 students inclusive of accommodation, food, travel and insurance to London or Edinburgh.
Ottimi’s ambition to contribute to a better society will also extend beyond educational travel. The Leeds-based business has also pledged one per cent of its profit to local charity, One For The City. The non-profit organisation involves businesses committing one per cent of their profit to local causes to foster an inclusive economy and support initiatives that benefit society and the wider environment.
Tom added: “Partnering with One for the City is a perfect match for the values and ethos of our business. Ottimi is about so much more than educational travel, but giving our next leaders, innovators, thought leaders, and decision makers the tools to thrive in the future. This collaboration is just one of the ways we’re working hard to shape an empathetic and open-minded future society.”
