COLPITTS World Travel says it is "proud to be part of the effort to spread Scottish arts and culture throughout the globe," having secured contracts with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) and Scottish Ballet to co-ordinate arrangements for international tours they are undertaking next year.

 

The Edinburgh office of the company, which is ultimately owned by US-based Colpitts World Travel Inc, is to provide travel and logistics support for the tours, which span three continents.

The office, which is the corporate-travel firm's European headquarters, will manage all of both organisations' flight and visa requirements.

In January and February, Scottish Ballet is taking 50 dance and production staff to China and Japan for its production of Krzysztof Pastor's Romeo and Juliet.

The company is then touring six US cities, including Chicago, Houston and Washington DC, in May with its production of A Streetcar Named Desire. This comes after it visits Inverness, Edinburgh and London.

In March, SCO, led by conductor Robin Ticciati, will take about 50 of its members on tour in Germany, Austria and France.

Tammo Schuelke, SCO concerts and projects manager said: "Colpitts understands the high standards and individual-focused service that a chamber orchestra requires when it goes on tour and has consistently delivered for us."

Scottish Ballet is "delighted" to be working again with Colpitts's for next year's tours, according to its company manager John Aitken.

He said: "They understand our many and varied international travel requirements and continually deliver a premium service, which enables us to focus all our energy on our on-stage performances."

The UK and European division of Colpitts was established in 1995, and it has premises in Aberdeen and Munich, Germany, in addition to the headquarters in Melville Street in the Scottish capital. As well as the arts sector it works with the technology, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, finance and energy sectors.

Regarding the latest contracts, its director of European operations Ian Scholes said: "We have expertise in managing the many logistical challenges for arts company travel, including handling what can be complex visa arrangements and dealing with specialist requirements for very valuable and high-specification instruments."

In May he said the firm was intending to invest "to support further growth across UK and European markets".

More recently it said it had set up a new business traveller forum with Edinburgh Airport, "aimed at enhancing the experience of business travellers when they fly in and out of the Scottish capital" and including representatives from several major hotel brands operating in the city plus travel management companies, and conference and events venues.