Management

TSA Tours was established in 1985 by James Cottam of Tempe, Arizona, and Hans Krause of Bonn, Germany. The two founders sought to fill a void in the educational travel market: plenty of companies offered prepackaged tours, but they wouldn’t budge when customers wanted to modify a tour to fit their needs. TSA Tours was founded on the principle that educational travel should be a custom, personal experience, not a one-size-fits-all product.

Operating on that belief, we have had the privilege of serving some of the most creative and personally invested educators and tour leaders in the country. We believe that giving our clients the power to design their own tour adds infinite value to a group’s experience abroad.

Today, James Cottam & Troy Butters continue to oversee daily operations at TSA Tours in Arizona, along with the TSA Tours staff. Hans Krause went on to become one of the pioneers of the revitalization of Miami Beach. He resides there with his family, managing his hotel properties.

Staff & Representatives

TSA Tours is staffed by a team of experienced, well-traveled professionals who understand the vital role of travel in one’s education, at any age. We can all identify with the feeling of wanderlust that drives our clients to explore the world and share it with others. Whether we began our travel careers with TSA Tours back in the 80s, or joined the team within the past decade, we are dedicated to being the very best in the industry.

TSA Tours employs only fully licensed professional guides for all guided excursions abroad. As local residents with intimate knowledge of their countries, our guides offer a multifaceted view of the cities, monuments and museums they represent.

Many of our guides have worked with us since TSA Tours’ inception. These long-standing relationships mean a lot to us. We send our clients abroad knowing they’ll be in good hands.