City Tour or City Sightseeing is a global sightseeing bus brand, started by Ensign Bus and the Spanish Hispalense de Tranvías, which operates tour bus, rides worldwide. Typically the tours consist of an open top double-decker bus. As the bus travels around the town or city, pre-recorded or live commentary is provided. City Sightseeing buses are recognizable due to their red livery. Tickets and offers are transferable between the worldwide tours.

Company history

The City Sightseeing name goes back to 1972 when Peter Newman used it for a pair of ex-Stander wick ‘Gay Hostess’ Leyland Atlanteans on his City Coach Lines company which ran four times daily tours of London.

In 1998 Ensign Bus revived the name and developed the red livery in the Spanish city of Seville, when it helped an established sightseeing operator prelaunch itself with double-deckers using the experience and expertise developed with London Pride, and links forged through the sale of open top buses around the world through Ensigbuses vehicle business. It did the same in Sydney, Australia.

With the sale of London Pride Sightseeing in 1998, Peter Newman and Enrique Ybarra stated their intention to introduce a global brand of sightseeing buses; City Sightseeing was launched at the World Travel Market in 1999.

Speaking in June 2000 about the franchise model, Newman stated:

Although we are coordinating and acting as provider for many of the things our operators will need, we are not dictating terms to them. This is a two way thing. We want to hear from them, about their experiences, challenges and solutions, just as much as offer advice forms our own experience. It will put everyone involved on to the tourist map with the benefit that it does not eradicate their trading names. We are not creating an entirely new force, just pulling together operators currently involved in this type of work.

In March 2000 the franchise model was initiated, with tours starting in Glasgow (Scot guide) and Canberra (Transborder). Startup operations would comprise a British manager until local staffs were trained.

In 2000 operations expanded in the UK at York, Edinburgh and Bath, with Edinburgh’s Lothian Buses introducing the first purpose built open top low floor buses. In 2001 operations expanded further in the UK, Spain and Australia, and into Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2002 operations in Alberta, Canada opened, and expanded in the UK. In 2003 operations started in Italy. In December 2000 the online booking system was introduced.

In May 2002 City Sightseeing acquired its biggest rival Guide Friday who had a base in Stratford-upon-Avon and operated tours across the UK and in major European cities. Operations were either rebranded as City Sightseeing or absorbed into existing operators where Guide Friday had been a direct competitor. The acquisition brought City Sightseeing’s operations up to nearly 70 cities worldwide with nearly 250 vehicles.

In 2003, City Sightseeing introduced the first purpose built sightseeing buses, Ayats Bravo City-bodied Volvo B7L double-deckers, featuring equipment specifically for tours and also being low floor, first in Spain and then in 2004 into the UK and around the world. In Singapore, it is part of Singapore Ducktours Limited since 2004, although it resembles Alexander R (Scania L94UB) and Ayats Bravo City (Scania K230UB), it should have bought complete Ayats Bravo Volvo B7L in total.

The company runs its own tours in Bath, Windsor & Cardiff. It also owned the operation in Stratford-upon-Avon & Cambridge but these passed to Stagecoach where they also provide normal bus services in the local area.

In Spring 2011, Ensignbus sold 100% of its share capital in City Sightseeing Ltd to City Sightseeing Worldwide S.L of Spain, for an undisclosed amount. City Sightseeing Worldwide S.L is owned by Enrique Ybarra co founder and operator of all the CS franchises in Spain, operating over 50 buses and carrying over three million passengers per year in ten locations. The original operation in Seville was the very first CS branded location anywhere in the world. Today, City Sightseeing operates in 94 locations worldwide and will in 2011 break the 100 city mark and carry a combined total of around eight million passengers per annum, making it the largest open top sightseeing business in the world.

Director of Sales and Marketing, Mandy Gaughan and the UK based staff have all transferred with the deal, whilst Ensign bus has retained its City Sightseeing Sydney operation, its interest in CS Italy and increased its share holding in the CS Washington, D.C. operation.

Peter Newman Chairman of Ensign Bus said “It has been a terrific adventure taking the idea of forming a sightseeing brand to the level that it’s at now. However, it is time for new people with fresh and innovative ideas to take it even further and cement its position as the number one sightseeing brand. It is very fitting that our first partner, Enrique Ybarra and his team are now taking over the reins and we truly wish them all the success in the world”.

Franchise model

The company has been developed along the franchise model. Some operations are wholly owned by City Sightseeing, some are joint ventures, but the majority of tours are operated by franchisees, either existing bus operators in the locality or new companies, either rebranding existing vehicles or introducing new ones.

Operators have the choice of flexibility in how much or how little direct involvement with City Sightseeing Company they have, and can choose vehicles and systems appropriate to themselves.

Through the franchise model, operators have access to group expertise to solve problems and to providers of equipment such as off board ticketing, GPS linked commentary systems and vehicle refurbishes. They also have access to Ensigbuses expertise in tour vehicle modification. Operators can also take advantage of block negotiation with promotional partners that may not necessarily wish to deal with smaller operators.

As a minimum, the franchise operator must carry the City Sightseeing red base color and graffiti style, they must use the global booking web-site, and a percentage of any revenue taken is returned to City Sightseeing.

Operators are free to apply a specific local branding within the red scheme, with local identities or the Guide Friday name retained if thought necessary.

The City Sightseeing brand is exhibited to operators at the World Travel Trade Fair.