🏭 Industrial tourism: top 10 unique excursions to production facilities 🔧

Many of us associate our vacation only with a vacation somewhere in warm countries. Such a trip necessarily includes the sea, a lazy beach holiday, a hotel with an all-inclusive concept, a maximum of 1-2 excursions to the most crowded tourist places and shopping.

But there are also those who are interested in combining relaxation with something more active or even useful. And one of these areas in the tourism sector is industrial tourism. What is it and what is it eaten with?

This type of travel is a trip to a country with the purpose of visiting enterprises and factories. This trend was born as a result of falling sales. Thus, inventive entrepreneurs , together with workers in the tourism sector, combined two seemingly incompatible things at once.

On the one hand, the manufacturer organizes such an unobtrusive and not cloying, but at the same time quite bright advertising, and on the other hand, the tourist sees the whole interior, the whole process and quality from the inside. Conditions for workers are also improved, because travelers will not be shown dirty production facilities or unsuitable workplaces.

What factories can you visit? The possibilities are quite wide. And now let's take a closer look.

BMW plant, Germany

Of course, this is a BMW plant. Munich is rightfully considered the world of this car brand. And at the BMW plant you can learn about the history of the creation of cars, take a close look at every detail of the latest models, and even see the entire production of these legendary cars in real time.

By the way, an impressive part of the plant is a museum, where there are approximately 125 rare cars, and the exhibition hall area is more than 5000 meters2! The tour can be taken in English or German.

And now the shocking news! We are all accustomed to “do not touch” signs in museums. However, this is where you can both sit behind the wheel of a car and examine every detail and even look under the hood. There is nothing to think about – we have to go. Tiqets.com travel designers will help make the dream of any motorist come true.

At the BMW plant itself, about 1,000 cars are produced every day. Tourists can visit almost every stage of production. 

Bentley plant, UK

Another paradise for motorists is the Bentley plant in the UK. Of course, everyone has heard about this brand. The museum and factory are located in the town of Crewe. And it specializes in the production of luxury cars.

What does the trip offer? Just like when visiting a BMW production facility, the excursion begins with a museum where you can trace the development of models from different eras. This journey through time is conducted in English by experienced guides who have been working here for 30 years.

This is followed by an excursion to the production itself, where perhaps you will discover the secret of such popularity of the brand. Wood for interior decoration, the sound of the engine, the history of the brand – all this will become available during your visit to this place. Bentley owners and their family members can take the tour any day, but everyone else can take the tour only on Fridays.

Well, the cherry on the cake is a test drive with a driver. Who wouldn't want to take a ride in a brand new Bentley? 

And at the end of such a mind-blowing journey, naturally after purchasing a brand new Bentley, you can go to the concert of your favorite artist. All available UK performances in 2024 are here.

Ferrari Factory, Italy

Fans of sports cars were not left out either, because the roads to the Ferrari plant were open to them. Surely even people far from the automotive world have heard about these animals. The plant for their production is located in the city of Maranello in Italy. There you can visit a museum where a collection of cars is displayed. In addition, the Fiorano race track and a bus tour of the plant are available for inspection.

Airbus plant, Germany

Fans of air transport can also become part of the entire production process. For this, it is definitely worth visiting the city of Hamburg in Germany. This is where one of the Airbus factories is located. What is included in the excursion itself? First you need to go through passport control and security control. Then, in the guest workshop, a film and a tour are offered for viewing. And then the most interesting part: a visit to the structural assembly and final assembly workshop of the A318, A319 and A321 aircraft. The second plant is located in Bremen, and tours are also available. There you can visit the production of wings, flaps and equipment elements.

What do you need to know about traveling to the lair of the iron birds? The tour lasts 2.5 hours, and you will have to be on your feet the entire time. There will be no opportunity to return. Therefore, you need to be resilient and patient. And the most unpleasant information is that you won’t be able to take a photo with airplanes in the background. Photos and videos are prohibited; upon entry you will be asked to turn off your phone.

Lego factory, Denmark

The following excursion will interest both children and adults. After all, many of us are passionate about Lego. These hand-made worlds have captivated everyone. And now there is an opportunity to visit the real Lego world! The designer parts themselves are produced all over the world. For example, in cities such as Nyiregyháza in Hungary and Monterrey in Mexico. But decoration and packaging are carried out in Denmark, Hungary, Mexico and even the Czech Republic.

And it was the factory in Denmark in the city of Billund that opened its doors to all Lego lovers. Work on a future designer begins with the selection of raw materials. Only high-quality materials are used for production, which is why Lego sets can even be left as an inheritance. After all, they will entertain more than one generation. 

At the production itself, they will show you the secrets of creating Lego and even give you the opportunity to try yourself as a designer. But children are much less fortunate, since they are only allowed into the plant from the age of 7. And, in principle, getting there is not so easy. Only a few times a year the plant allows tourists on excursions. And, as a result, it is almost impossible to buy tickets.

Cadbury factory, UK

Visiting production facilities is undoubtedly very interesting. But visiting delicious productions is simply wonderful. Travelers who go on an excursion to the Cadbury factory in Birmingham in the UK will definitely be lucky. This is a real paradise for those with a sweet tooth. The country's main chocolate factory owes its existence to John Cadbury, who immediately sold chocolate and cocoa in the most ordinary shop on the market. Then the young man and his brother opened a production facility in the very center of the city and, just a few summers later, became suppliers to Queen Victoria. Therefore, there is no need to even talk about the quality of the product. 

Now the factory is called Cadbury World because the size is amazing. Now this is not just a production, but a whole world! In addition to the workshops, there are also 14 entertainment areas for children. But adults can taste bars and candies. And you definitely need to buy something chocolate in the company store. 

Factory Ritter Sport, Germany

Another tasty treat for those with a sweet tooth is a trip to the famous Ritter Sport chocolate factory. These chocolate squares are famous all over the world. Stylish packaging attracts the eye right away. 

A factory tour is available in the city of Waldenbuch in Germany, where you will be allowed to visit the workshop and see the exhibition. What can you see there? The entire history of the brand, learn about the main ingredients for making chocolate, and how they are selected, and even look at the packaging of old times. 

Organizing corporate trips is not always easy, but visiting chocolate places will definitely give you a lot of positive emotions.