These days, student travel companies are constantly requesting middle school and high school teachers who want to take their group of students on tours within the United States or abroad. In every school system, there are many groups that like to travel, including band, choir, orchestra, dance, science, history, field trips, and more. However, the excitement one faces when planning a trip can overshadow the most important question: “Which student travel company is trustworthy and safe to partner with?” To determine which company to choose, one should ask the following questions before making an informed decision:
Is the travel company a member of any association or organization that advocates for excellence in student travel?
The student tour operator must be a member of an organization/association committed to integrity, honesty, value and service. Associations such as the Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA), the American Bus Association (ABA), the National Tour Association (NTA), and the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) are just a few of the associations that meet these requirements.
What type of Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating does the company have?
This is where you can do your homework. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see what kind of overall score the business has. Also, check all the reviews and complaints. If there are a lot of complaints or negative reviews, one should probably stay away from the company in question. On the other hand, if a business has an A+ rating with positive reviews, then this business might warrant a phone call. Additionally, you can also check search engines for reviews and/or complaints.
Is the student travel company a full service company and does it customize the trips?
There are many student tour operators that only sell “canned” tours. Stay away from this type of operator! They want you to travel using their itinerary, in which they receive strong incentives from their suppliers for booking a large number of groups. Unfortunately, most of these companies do not pass these savings and incentives on to you. I suggest choosing a tour company that will customize your trip, your way. Choose a company that provides many options and meets your curriculum and budget needs. Also, make sure the company plans everything from A to Z to give you a worry-free trip. This will give you peace of mind.
Does the company reserve reputable vendors?
Choose a company that books only late-model coaches, books hotels with interior corridors, provides hotel security, separates men and women on different floors of the hotel, hosts group dinners at renowned restaurants, provides you with the option of travel insurance and more. Choose a company that is honest, offers safe and reliable tours, and offers specific itinerary guidelines, covering all aspects of the trip.
Does the company provide its own tour guide to accompany the group?
The tour guide must accompany the group from the beginning of the trip to the end to oversee all arrangements, including transportation, lodging, meals, attraction ticket acquisition, and more. A qualified tour guide will help make the trip run smoothly.
Does the tour guide know the destination?
For your protection and that of your group, you should choose a company that employs trained guides certified by schools such as the International Tour Management Institute, a prestigious school accredited specifically for tour guide training. These trained guides will not only know your destination, but are knowledgeable, experienced, friendly and knowledgeable.
In general, do your homework. Ask questions, read brochures, check websites, call competing student tour operator companies and find out what to expect from each one. By asking the questions mentioned above, one should be able to narrow down the choices to just a few student travel companies. Request offers and choose the company that best suits your travel needs, curriculum requirements and budget. Always be sure to select a safe and reliable company that will personalize your trip, your way, and provide you with excellent service.