Choose an educational travel group that promotes student travel. Request to have only one contact person for all aspects of the trip in the event there are difficulties with flights, hotel arrangements, or itineraries. Decide on a destination, dates and length of travel and itinerary before you promote the trip.
Compose a letter to parents or guardians of students that provides the value of the trip, tentative travel dates, contact information and the time and date of the first information meeting, which should be at least 8 months before the departure date.
At the first meeting, provide parents with contracts and a brochure from the educational travel company that provides details of the trip: brochure cost and actual cost, which includes taxes, supplementary charges, fees for any additional extensions or excursions, optional insurance fees and first time membership fees.
At the second meeting, have a packet prepared for parents and students that includes: a code of conduct contract; a medical emergency release letter to enable you to secure medical attention for the student if necessary; a form for any special dietary or medical needs; and a contract regarding consumption of alcohol as some countries permit drinking under the age of 18. Have parents and students sign the contracts before you accept a deposit.
Communicate at least once every 3 weeks with parents regarding any updates. Post a letter or have meetings with students at least once a month to keep them abreast of changes.
Remain in close contact with the representative of the travel organization. Keep written documentation of any changes or agreements. Put special requests in writing. Follow up phone conversations with a detailed email.
Make the representative aware of any dietary or medical needs of students. Make sure this information is related to the airlines and to the courier before your departure from the states.
Request the following: 1) to arrive at your destination in the morning, rather than late afternoon because the day of departure is day 1, the day of arrival is day 2; 2) to have only one plane change, if you cannot have a direct flight; and 3) to depart from Europe in the late morning. Ask for a copy of the flight arrangements as soon as they are available.
Check the location of the hotels, which is usually available a month before departure. Require that hotels are within walking distance of the areas you plan to visit.
Request that dinners provide students with a cultural experience and that the students go to restaurants outside of the hotel. The agency should not charge an extra fee for this request.
Know your students. Make arrangements that allow students to room with friends for at least part of the trip. Make them aware that at times they may room with others they do not know because most rooms accommodate three or four persons.
Review rules of social conduct with students: take hats off before entering a restaurant; say please and thank you to servers; pick up after themselves; do not yell across the room or dining tables; inform an adult if you leave the group and never leave alone.
Explain security check points and encourage students to make sure they know and adhere to all airline and Transportation Security Administration restrictions. Have all students have one carry-on bag that has all essentials.
Correspond with students at least once every 2 weeks to provide them with information, such as local customs, monetary exchange rates, informative websites, and books and movies related to your destination.
