Eden Public Relations has been appointed to lead the launch of Ottimi, a new educational travel service by Max Ski — a family-run, Leeds-based business with over 30 years’ experience delivering tailor-made school trips. 

Taking its name from the Italian word ottimo – meaning excellent – Ottimi is about more than travel. It’s a people-first approach to school trips, designed to inspire confidence, connection, and growth through purposeful learning beyond the classroom. 

At the heart of Ottimi’s carefully curated sports and subject-focused trips are experiences designed not just to educate, but to help young people build resilience, self-belief, and a sense of belonging at a time when experts agree that adolescents are facing growing mental health struggles.  As part of the wider experience, Ottimi provides talks from inspiring individuals – speakers who’ve faced real-life challenges and come through with stories of determination, hope, and purpose, delivering tangible tools for life. 

Ottimi, pioneered by Tom Bedford, was created in response to growing demand from Max Ski’s customers who wanted to apply its tailored approach to a broader range of subjects and destinations. The team is already developing cultural tours to South Korea, Performing Arts trips to New York, and has delivered competitive sporting adventures such as Netball in Barbados and Rugby in Italy. 

Eden will support Ottimi’s brand launch — bringing its values and vision to life across schools, educators, and families through targeted media engagement and sector-led storytelling. 

Tom Bedford Ottimi & Max Ski CEO said: “We believe travel can have a huge impact, sparking ambition, building confidence, and opening young people’s eyes to the world and their place in it.  Learning experiences outside the classroom can make school much more meaningful for young people.  

“The team at Eden has already shown real enthusiasm and a great grasp of what we’re all about. In such a tough market, we need to stand out and connect with our audience by talking about the things that matter to them. We are looking forward to working together to build our voice and make some real impact.” 

As part of the Ottimi launch, the firm is giving away £20,000 of prizes including all expenses paid three day, two night trip for 40 students inclusive of accommodation, food, travel and insurance to London or Edinburgh.  

Director and Head of New Business at Eden PR, Emily Winsor-Russell, added: “Our consultancy takes great pride in our strong track record within the education sector, backed by extensive experience across both state and independent schools. Ottimi is perfectly positioned to meet the increasing demand for exceptional educational trip experiences, at a time when schools are seeking that extra element of value and enrichment for their students. We’re thrilled to collaborate with the Ottimi team and bring our expertise to support the success of this exciting launch.” 

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Eden Public Relations is a team of public relations experts with a wealth of knowledge and exceptional track record across B2B and B2C portfolios. The team combines a mix of communications professionals from a tapestry of backgrounds, from journalism and marketing to stakeholder communications and social media.