THE EDUCATOR’S TRAVEL PRIMER: Youth Tour Operators

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4 to check consumer websites such as the Better Business Bureau. In certain states such as California, Florida, Washington, Iowa, Hawaii, and Nevada, companies must be registered with the state as a “seller of travel” and should be able to give you their registration number. You also should enquire how long the company been in business at their present location. A company that has been in business for many years at one location is more likely to be a reputable business that stands by their customers. • Educational Focus If the tour’s focus is educational then look to see if the tour operator’s programs are accredited and if so, by whom. If the students are seeking college credit that will be potentially transferrable then the tours should be accredited by a national, public university. Some companies may claim to be their own accredited institution but their credits may not be transferrable or accepted by your school system. You may also want to verify if the company will provide teachers with classroom tools, tour resources, and a variety of ways to receive graduate credit and professional development. In order to avoid the possibility your credits may be “diploma mill” and may not be transferable, you may wish to evaluate the school’s reputation using the Department of Education website at http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. • Chaperone Ratios It is vitally important that the tour provide you with the proper number of chaperones at no cost. Recruiting the right number of chaperones will help ensure a safe and successful trip. Most tour providers offer a certain number of free spots for chaperones based upon the number of students traveling. A common ratio is one chaperone for every 15 students for high school students, with one for every 10 to 15 for middle school THE EDUCATOR’S TRAVEL PRIMER: Selecting a Youth Tour Operator students. If you require more, make sure this is included in your written bid with the tour operator. • Hotel This is definitely an area to focus on. Many companies will say they use quality hotels but will not specify a location. Hotels outside metro areas save the company 50% but your group may lose 1- 2 hours of “tour time” each day en route with rush hour traffic. You want to make sure the company tells you at a minimum the category of hotel (3-star, 4 star) and how far from the destination it is. If your hotel is an hour from your destination, over a 5-day tour you will have lost an entire day of sight-seeing in drive time. The safety of the neighborhood where the hotel is located is also important. You also want to know some essential features of the hotel such as: do the rooms have closed hallway entrances only, does it have a pool and lifeguard, will there be 24-hour security, will the students and chaperones all be blocked together on the same hallway, does the hotel have the ability to turn off pay-tv and remove minibars, do the rooms have windows that open up or have they been secured, are there adjoining rooms between boys and girls rooms, and will other guests likely be on your hallway? As you can see there will be a lot to cover at the hotel, so most importantly you want to confirm that a representative of the tour operator will be at your hotel ahead of time to ensure the blockings and safety of the rooms before your arrival. • Meals While this may not sound as important, you and your students will be hungry at meal time, and you want to make sure that the restaurants are of sufficient quality and convenient. You also need to ensure that 3 meals a day are provided or else make other arrangements. Students left to purchase a meal a day on their own, tend
to spend the money on other things and may not eat. With respect to breakfasts, you need to confirm whether breakfasts are full meals or continental. Additionally, while food courts and fast food may be convenient and even necessary sometimes, you want to make certain the tour operator does not plan to feed you only at fast food restaurants. Finally, confirm that the tour operator is providing multiple entrée choices at each location and can accommodate any particular health allergies or requirements. • Tour Guides First, you want to confirm that you will have a professional and licensed tour guide at all locations where you will need one. Second, you want to know something about the quality of the guide because this is the person who will likely make or break the trip. Depending on the purpose and focus of the trip, a local tour guide with knowledge can serve as a living history book as they deliver the factual background at the actual site of historical significance. You should also find out if the tour guide will be separate from the driver as many guides perform both functions. Most important is the experience the guide has with youth. Many tour guides are excellent with adult groups but terrible communicating with students. The best way to ensure a good guide is to ask for client references. You should also ask how many guides you will have, especially if you have a large group. • Tour Support While you may be working with only one representative to plan the tour itinerary, you want to make sure that you will have ample support and personnel available to assist once you arrive at the destination. A qualified tour operator should have a representative greet your group at the airport on arrival and make sure you meet your guides to begin the tour. They should also provide a representative to prepare for your arrival at the hotel, assist with check-in and should be present at the hotel while you and your group are inhouse. Some of the companies servicing international destinations often have the guide also serve as the hotel representative as you may be traveling across the country. The important factor is that you as the tour leader feel you have the necessary support at all times, 24 hours a day, without exception. A thorough, quality operator should provide you with the support you need on arrival, on tour, at the hotels and all the way through to your departure home. • Emergency, Medical & Behavior This is obviously of utmost importance and one of the reasons a SYTA tour operator is a wise decision. A quality tour operator should have a staffed “tour central office” near the destination. Additionally, they should be able to provide every student and parent a 24-7, toll free emergency number for emergencies of any kind. If overseas, there should be contingencies established for the same. The company should be able to contact your drivers and guides at all times and should have contingency emergency plans in place. The company should be able to plan for medical emergencies by providing quick access to a nearby hospital and for non-emergencies, arrange for a doctor or nurse to travel to the group at the hotel to minimize separations. Finally, the company should also be able to provide you the necessary support if you must send a student home for either disciplinary reasons or a family emergency. • Nighttime Security A tour operator should arrange to have private security or hall chaperones in place each night so the tour leaders can get a good night of sleep. Quality tour operators generally provide private, bonded, professional security guards to sit on each hotel floor your group is staying THE EDUCATOR’S TRAVEL PRIMER: Selecting a Youth Tour Operator 5
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