Details of the tour emerged in a leaked e-mail apparently sent to potential clients of the agency, the Daily Telegraph reported.

BBC: NEWS | UK | US lecture tour for Cherie Blair

The online arena, however, remains an important outlet, prompting established tour operators such as Airtours to continue investing in their e-commerce strategies.

BBC: Online travel bucks gloomy trend

When a live auction featuring a signed guitar wasn't generating enough interest, Springsteen took the microphone and upped the ante, throwing in a free guitar lesson with himself as the teacher, a ride in the side car of his Harley, eight tickets to the E Street concert of their choice, a backstage tour and lasagna made by his 87-year-old mother, Adele.

CNN: February 10, 2013 -- Updated 0155 GMT (0955 HKT)