2013 Student Travel Planning Guide

9.95

$

2013 EDITION

A Premier Tourism Marketing publication • www.studenttraveldirectory.com

contents Vol. 4, No. 1 2013 EDITION

6

Planning a Trip to Remember Editor’s message to travel organizers

8

Initial Decisions Consider purpose, destination and season

10

Mapping Out A Timeline Charting a course for the months ahead

12

Tour Operators and You Tips on working with tour companies

14

SPECIAL SECTION Student Groups Love Branson, MO

CHARTERING A BUS

Making music in the Ozarks

18

Chartering a Bus for Your Group The ins and outs of booking a motorcoach

20

18

VOLUNTOURISM

Selecting the Right Hotel Finding the best place and the best deal

24

Meals, Fun and Souvenirs Food, entertainment and shopping options

28

Disciplinary Matters Dealing with problems on tour

30

Chaperone Selection and Duties The fun comes with responsibilities

32

On Tour: Daily Details Managing your days on the road

Foreign Travel: Know Before You Go Trip tips for first-time travelers

36

36

Voluntourism Opportunities Finding the right project for your group

38

Post-Trip Ideas Ways to keep the spirit alive

40 Directory Resources

ON THE COVER: On tour in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/Joseph C. Justice Jr.) Article images courtesy of © 2012 JUPITERIMAGES Corporation Unless Credited Otherwise

A roster of destinations and businesses that welcome student tour groups

4

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

G. Widman for Historic Philadelphia, Inc.

34

Let Instant Info Streamline Your Supplier Requests Planning a student trip is no easy task.

With multiple suppliers, contacts and forms to fill out, it’s a wonder day four doesn’t get intertwined with day two!

Connecting with group-friendly suppliers has never been easier!

Click on your desired state on the map or search by category from the drop down fields. Then, connect directly with group sales departments via website, email or request a catalog/brochure

Consider the ALL-NEW Instant Info from Student Travel Planning Guide, your itinerary planning assistant. This revolutionary new tool helps streamline supplier requests by organizing all tour supplier information in one area. From the one-click state-by-state map to the intuitive category or keyword search, you can email group sales departments, visit group web pages or request catalogs/brochures for long-term planning.

All from one site!

Wait, it gets better. On Instant Info you can also link directly into the TourItineraries.com database of over 500 pre-planned group tour itineraries…here’s where new inspiration awaits.

Stop filling out multiple forms and resubmitting requests and start using Instant Info to streamline your itinerary planning.

Get started now — complete the Instant Info card on the inside back cover, or use Instant Info online @ http://insite.studenttraveldirectory.com/instant-info/

Randy Mink

Planning a Trip to Remember A

sk anyone about highlights of their high school days and the talk often turns to travels with classmates. Perhaps it was a band trip to Walt Disney World or a civics-minded outing to Washington, D.C. Whatever the destination, it was quite an adventure to be touring with friends, away from the clutches of your parents.

A school trip often provides students their first true taste of independence—a chance to be away from home in a carefree setting. It can be a real eye-opener, a monumental event in a young person’s life.

While an educational trip is a magic carpet ride for students—filled with fun, frivolity and a little learning mixed in— those of us who put together trips know that they don’t just magically appear.

They take a lot of planning. Sometimes the logistics can be overwhelming— permission slips, payments, rooming lists, airline tickets, passports and tons of other details.

Being on the road has its moments as well. As chaperones know, it’s not exactly a vacation. Some students prefer to goof off instead of paying attention to the guide, or there’s the vegetarian who is never satisfied. And then there are emergencies. I recall dealing with the Spanish police in Madrid when one of my students had her passport stolen. On an African studies trip in Kenya, I had to contact a girl’s dad to tell him she broke her arm falling off a horse. And what happens when a storm closes the airport and your whole group is stranded in New York?

Nothing ever goes off exactly as planned, but our fourth annual Student Travel Planning Guide will smooth the 6

Student Travel Planning Guide

Vol. 4, No. 1, 2013 Edition

way as you put together the best possible trip for your students. Written by educators for educators, it mixes how-to advice with listings of destinations, attractions and hotels interested in hosting student groups.

We have two products that complement the Student Travel Planning Guide.

StudentTravelDirectory.com contains the most comprehensive directory resource for the market today. With listings and links to thousands of student-friendly destinations and businesses, it’s designed

Editorial Office 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527 P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 info@ptmgroups.com

Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk jeff@ptmgroups.com

Managing Editor – Randy Mink randy@ptmgroups.com

Contributing Writer Daniel Morrill

A school trip often provides students their first true taste

Director, Design & Production – Robert Wyszkowski rob@ptmgroups.com

of independence—a chance

Advertising Sales Office

to be away from home in

Phone: 630.794.0696 advertising@ptmgroups.com www.ptmgroups.com

a carefree setting. It can be a real eye-opener, a monumental event in a young person’s life. to be the premier research tool for student travel organizers. In addition, InSite on Student Travel is a monthly e-newsletter with ideas, new developments and destination reports.

We hope this annual guide, combined with our online resources, will help you plan a memorable trip, one that will make a real difference in your students’ lives.

Happy traveling,

Randy Mink Managing Editor

The publisher accepts unsolicited editorial matter, as well as advertising, but assumes no responsibility for statements made by advertisers or contributors. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information published, but the publisher makes no warranty that listings are free of error. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited photos or manuscripts.

Student Travel Planning Guide (ISSN 2154-4905) is published annually by Premier Tourism Marketing, Inc., 621 Plainfield Rd., Suite 406, Willowbrook, IL 60527. Postage paid at Willowbrook, IL and Lebanon Junction, KY. The magazine is distributed free to youth group travel organizers and travel suppliers catering to the market. Single copies for all others is $9.95.

Send Address Change to: Premier Tourism Marketing, Inc. P.O. Box 609, Palos Heights, IL 60463

A

publication

All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

studenttraveldirectory.com

?

Initial Decisions: Purpose, Destination, Season F

or a teacher, it can be challenging to make the decision to travel with students. There are so many details to sort out and so many problems that could arise. And you’ve heard the horror stories out there circulating on the web.

However, the experience of student travel can be a rewarding one, for both students and adults alike. Although it is fun and relaxing to travel with friends and family, traveling with students allows adults to see the world differently. Perhaps you have already visited a locale, but when you see it through the eyes of a student who has not, you begin to appreciate the world even more. You see things you likely missed in your own travels. What is even more exciting is when you see things that you teach in your curriculum or talk about with your club, and the students on tour make those connections without prompting. There are no better teachable moments.

✓

THE PURPOSE OF YOUR TRIP

If you’re thinking of organizing a student trip, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• • • •

What do you want students to take from this trip?

How can you relate it to your class or club?

What destinations will fit your objectives?

Am I doing this for the kids or am I doing it for the wrong reasons (i.e. a free trip or to get out of the classroom)

✓

CHOOSING A LOCATION

Let us assume that you definitely want to travel and that you are sure it’s for the students, not for you. Where should you go? There dozens of options, but a lot will be determined by your area of study.

History teachers can travel to Europe, to places like England, France and Italy. In the United States they might target Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and other East Coast cities.

English teachers can travel to England, Ireland or even Faulkner’s Mississippi. For Spanish language teachers, Spain, Mexico and South America are natural choices. Science teachers can travel to study geology in Utah or Nevada or astronomy at one of the NASA space centers. Drama club directors enjoy taking kids to Hollywood and New York City. Band and choral groups can perform in theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios and such events as Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and the London New Year’s Day Parade.

8

Student Travel Planning Guide

✓

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?

You’ll likely choose from these popular student travel destinations: Northeast ❑ Boston ❑ New York ❑ Philadelphia ❑ Gettysburg ❑ Baltimore ❑ Washington, DC

South ❑ Atlanta ❑ Orlando ❑ Myrtle Beach ❑ Williamsburg ❑ New Orleans ❑ Nashville

Midwest ❑ Chicago ❑ Milwaukee ❑ Minneapolis/St. Paul ❑ St. Louis ❑ Cincinnati ❑ Indianapolis

West ❑ Los Angeles ❑ San Francisco ❑ Seattle ❑ Phoenix ❑ Denver ❑ Dallas/Fort Worth

Canada ❑ Toronto ❑ Niagara Falls ❑ Montreal ❑ Quebec City ❑ Vancouver

Mexico ❑ Mexico City ❑ Guadalajara ❑ San Miguel de Allende ❑ Cuernavaca ❑ Guanajuato ❑ Puerto Vallarta

Central/ South America ❑ Costa Rica ❑ Belize ❑ Brazil ❑ Chile ❑ Argentina

Europe ❑ Britain ❑ Ireland ❑ France ❑ Spain ❑ Germany ❑ Italy

studenttraveldirectory.com

✓

WHEN TO TRAVEL

The best time obviously will be during one of the four standard vacation periods, so that students do not miss too much time out of school:

•

December. This is the longest vacation period, allowing time for a longer trip. But airfares are higher and you may have trouble recruiting because the holidays are family time.

•

Summer. Summer offers the most flexibility, but keep in mind that many students may have summer jobs, travel with the family, participate in sports or go to camp.

•

Perhaps you have already visited a locale, but when you see it through the eyes of a student who has not, you begin to appreciate the world even more

February. Some schools have a winter break in February, a good time to get away to warmer destinations. But winter weather could force flight delays, especially impacting shorter trips.

Spring. The weeks before and after Easter are the most popular times to travel. The weather in late March and early April is more likely to cooperate, and school is almost out. But reserve flights and hotels early to avoid disappointment during this busy travel period. The majority of school trips take place in April and May.

studenttraveldirectory.com

•

Student Travel Planning Guide

9

Mapping Out a Timeline

2

O

nce you make the decision to travel, suddenly you’re caught up in a whirlwind of activity. Deadlines are fast approaching, and there are a million questions to field from students and parents. And lots of details to nail down. Knowing what to tackle first, what decision to put off and what support to ask for will help make the process as smooth as possible.

Working out payments over a year is preferable, so it is important to plan this far in advance. Be forewarned, though, that once the trip is booked and students are registered, you will see a lot of down time. To keep student interest up, have regular trip meetings, perhaps with food from the destination.

The planning timeline will be different for every group, but here are some general guidelines for mapping out the period from when the seed is planted until takeoff:

✓

18-24 MONTHS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE

Determine the purpose of the trip. Will it include academic elements or performances by your group? Or will it be strictly a sightseeing tour? ❑ Who will be invited to participate? ❑ Will it be domestic or international? ❑ Make a list of possible destinations ❑ Determine the approximate length and dates of the trip ❑ Have an approximate cost in mind ❑ Talk with the school principal and fellow teachers ❑ Contact tour operators that specialize in your chosen destinations

✓

12 MONTHS PRIOR

❑ Choose a location ❑ Set dates ❑ Choose a tour operator or start making arrangements on your own ❑ Finalize the itinerary ❑ Set the approximate price.

Due to airline schedules and rates, final pricing may not be available until 11 months prior. Motorcoach companies also work 11-12 months in advance.

10

Student Travel Planning Guide

❑ Determine if chaperones will be teachers, parents or both Announce the tour and start promoting it through: ❑ Snail mail ❑ Email ❑ Brochures ❑ Posters ❑ Press releases ❑ A website ❑ Social networks ❑ Schedule the first of several trip meetings

✓

6-9 MONTHS PRIOR

❑ Early participants should be signed up with deposits paid ❑ Create a list of reading materials or study exercises to prepare students for the trip ❑ If a passport or visa is required, now is the time to apply

✓

4 MONTHS PRIOR

❑ Continue promoting the trip in newsletters, social networks and meetings, keeping interest alive in those who have signed up and possibly getting a few more to sign up ❑ Contact people who have shown interest but still have not committed

✓

3 MONTHS PRIOR

❑ Final payments are due from those who have paid deposits ❑ Arrange transportation to and from the airport ❑ Have students choose roommates for hotels

✓

1 MONTH PRIOR

❑ Schedule a final meeting to confirm trip details, go over packing lists and gather any last-minute information ❑ Make sure you have emergency contact, medical and allergy information for each traveler ❑ Make sure parents have your emergency contact information For overseas travel: ❑ Do students have their passports? ❑ Do students have spending money in the proper currency? ❑ Do students have chargers and adapters for electronics?

studenttraveldirectory.com

Mall of America® is the place for school trips!

Mall of America offers music per performances, formances, scavenger hunts, physics programs, marketing presentations and more!

TTo o see the full list of student ac activities ctivities available at MOA,™ visit: www www.mallofamerica.com/visit/field-trips w.mallofamerica.com/visit/field-trips .mallofamerica.com/ .

For more infor mation, contact Millie Philipp in Mall of America TTourism ourism at 952.883.8843, information, o 952.883 mphilipp@mallofamerica.com or visit www .mallofamerica.com www.mallofamerica.com

/MallofAmerica /MallofA America

@ @MallofAmerica MallofAm A erica

✎

Tour Operators and You H

aving a tour company plan your trip brings peace of mind.

A professional tour operator provides a support network and industry expertise you do not have. Some companies specialize in educational travel; a few arrange performance-group trips only. They plan every detail, from flights and meals to hotel rooming lists and late-night pizza parties.

✓

FINDING A GOOD TOUR OPERATOR

It’s simple to find student tour operators on Google, but just because they are on the first page doesn’t mean they’re solid.

Here are five factors to consider before you sign the contract: 1. What travel associations do they belong to? The most popular are NTA (National Tour Association) and ABA (American Bus Association). An operator need not belong to both, but should belong to at least one, as the associations screen incoming members for potential problems and monitor consumer complaints.

2. Do you prefer to deal locally or through an 800 number?

Generally speaking, large national tour operators offer better pricing because they buy in volume, but hometown operators provide the peace of mind of dealing local.

3. Get references. Have they worked with groups like yours? Ask to speak with other teachers to obtain their perspective on the company.

4. Have they run this particular tour before? If you’re the guinea pig, expect problems to arise.

5. What sort of financial protection do they offer? Are funds put in escrow? Can you pay by credit card? Do they belong to any consumer protection plans, like the one offered

by USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association)?

✓

SPECIFIC REQUESTS

After contracting with a tour provider, teacher group leaders should let the provider know their most important considerations regarding the tour. Examples include:

❑ Specific flight patterns (longer or shorter layovers, etc.) ❑ Location of hotels (within cities or outside of urban areas) ❑ Meal upgrades (may increase the per-person price of the tour) ❑ Arranging events such as cultural exchanges, religious services, private concerts or farewell dinners ❑ Participants traveling from gateways other than the group 12

Student Travel Planning Guide

✓

PAPERWORK & STUDENT/PARENT INFO

The most important aspect of working effectively with tour providers is regular communication, either by telephone or through e-mail. Most student tour providers offer excellent websites that allow participants to enroll and make payments online, get answers to basic questions and receive helpful downloads such as city guides.

It is important to keep up to date with all paperwork requested by the tour provider by the given deadlines. These include:

❑ Any liability contracts or agreements to act as a group leader

❑ Gathering of student information such as passport data ❑ Creation of an emergency calling tree ❑ Reminding participants and parents of payment schedules ❑ Providing information on trip insurance ❑ Enrolling participants on optional tour excursions ❑ Matching passport names with names on the trip roster

✓

FEEDBACK

Group leaders will not be able to contact tour provider consultants while on tour unless there is a case of an on-tour emergency. Thus, feedback is very important:

❑ Complete all feedback, evaluation forms thoroughly ❑ Make comments when necessary ❑ Call the provider upon returning and summarize the experience ❑ Detail what was really effective ❑ Detail anything that was disappointing

studenttraveldirectory.com

S T U D E N T G R O U P S L OV E B R A N S O N , M I S S O U R I

BRANSON’S

High school bands from across America strut their stuff in Branson, Missouri.

Music + Fun = “Edutainment” ocated in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, Branson, Mo., is within a day’s drive of most Midwestern cities, making it an easily accessible destination for student group travelers.

“The ‘Live Music Show Capital of the World’ teaches the business of show business and is a great value for student groups. Branson has many different educational experiences for students and offers peace of mind for parents,” said Lenni Neimeyer, CTIS, CSTP, director of leisure group sales for the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

Student performing groups in Branson don’t just sit and watch the show; they can take center stage as a part of the cast and crew at one of the city’s 50 theaters. A variety of opportunities exists for groups to participate as the preshow entertainment, and the performing groups can also experience a pre-show

L

14

Student Travel Planning Guide

sound check and clinic orchestrated by professional musicians from the area.

Among the many performance venues are the Showboat Branson Belle, Clay Cooper Theatre, Dixie Stampede, The Mansion and Acrobats of China.

Workshops, master classes and behindthe-scenes programs allow students to engage with theater professionals.

“More than 100 shows featuring entertainment personalities, performing families, impersonators, illusionists and comedians afford performance groups a rich and entertaining curriculum from which to learn and grow,” Neimeyer said. Year-round music festivals offer interactive musical competitions for bands, chorales and orchestras.

“Branson offers student group travelers not only top-notch performance venues, but also exciting attractions as well, including Silver Dollar City, The Track Family Fun Parks, Ride The Ducks and ADVERTORIAL

Branson Zipline and Canopy Tours, to name a few. It’s certainly not all work and no play!” Neimeyer said. Several Branson businesses have developed Branson student itineraries: Life in the Fast Lane. This tour is all upbeat, fun things with no time to slow down! There’s ziplining at Branson Zipline and Canopy Tours at Wolfe Creek Preserve and high-rise go-karts at The Track Family Fun Parks. Silver Dollar City, the 1880-style theme park, offers shows, rides and more than 100 crafters.

Sit down to a meal and show at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede. In addition to a four-course dinner, there is a horse show, stunt riders, magic and audience participation. Take in the high-energy SIX show and shows at the Clay Cooper Theatre and Pierce Arrow Theater. Play some miniature golf, too!

Live and Learn. This is an interactive tour, taking the group on excurstudenttraveldirectory.com

S T U D E N T G R O U P S L OV E B R A N S O N , M I S S O U R I sions everywhere: Silver Dollar City, Buckets N Boards Comedy Percussion Show, a studio tour at the Mansion Theatre and Entertainment Center (make your own CD), Clay Cooper Theatre (clinic and pre-show performance), Titanic Museum Attraction, the Red, Hot… & Blue! Show, Acrobats of China, The Twelve Irish Tenors and Kirby VanBurch Show. Personalize this tour with either a “meet and greet” with the entertainers at The Track Family Fun Parks or backstage at their theaters.

Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy. Your students will be rockin’ on this tour. The Cat’s Pajamas and the Rankin Brothers can provide a clinic and performance opportunity. Then head to Silver Dollar

aters for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Your student groups can be the preshow entertainment performing on the same stages as some of Branson’s biggest entertainers and brightest stars! In addition, our award-winning theme parks and exciting attractions afford exceptional performance settings as well.

Branson offers this unique opportunity to draw on real-life performance experiences at a highly professional level.

Explore the Rich History of the Ozarks The rich history of the Ozarks and Branson is reflected in the diversity of its businesses, attractions, museums, historical landmarks, craftsmanship, geology, landscapes, wildlife and military contributions. All serve to move students beyond the four walls of the classroom, expanding their educational horizons.

Nationally-Recognized Competitions and Festivals Interactive musical competition experiences through nationally-recognized band, choral, and orchestra festival companies abound in Branson!

For a complete list of scheduled com-

Centrally Located in the Heart of America Branson is less than a day's drive from one-third of the nation's population. For those youth groups who want to fly to Branson, the Branson airport is open and located just 10 miles south of

Student performance groups take to the stage at some of the premier theaters in Branson, the “Live Music Show Capital of the World.”

City for some rockin’ rides, including the new Outlaw Run – the world’s only wood coaster to twist upside down and world’s steepest drop for a wood coaster – and a ride on Heavy Metal High Rise, the new steel and concrete go-kart track reaching over four stories at Track #4 at The Track Family Fun Parks. Zipline from platform to platform and traverse multiple sky bridges through the Ozarks forest canopy at Branson Zipline and Canopy Tours at Wolfe Creek Preserve. Go out on Lake Taneycomo onboard a Main Street Lake Cruise and have some fun on a paddlewheeler with a pizza party.

First-Class Performance Opportunities In Branson, student groups can perform in one of our state-of-the-art thestudenttraveldirectory.com

petitions and festivals, contact Lenni Neimeyer, director of leisure group sales, at the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Gain Knowledge of the Entertainment Industry Your student groups are able to benefit from the enormous variety and accessibility to the Branson entertainment industry through educational workshops, master classes and behindthe-scenes programs with theater professionals. More than 100 live shows featuring world-class entertainment personalities, multi-talented performing families, specialty acts, impersonators, illusionists, comedians and spectacular large cast production shows make Branson the most entertaining place on earth to learn.

ADVERTORIAL

downtown – everyday low fares have come to Branson!

Suggested lodging properties for your student groups are Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing, Radisson Hotel Branson, The Grand Plaza, Stone Castle Hotel and Conference Center, Castle Rock Resort and Water Park and Myer Hotels – offering six award-winning properties in Branson. For a complete list of Branson accommodations, visit www.ExploreBranson.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lenni Neimeyer, CTIS, CSTP Director, Leisure Group Sales Branson CVB P.O. Box 1897 Branson, MO 65615 Phone: 417-334-4084 Toll-Free: 800-296-0463 Fax: 417-337-5887 Email: LNeimeyer@BransonCVB.com

Student Travel Planning Guide

15

Chartering a Bus for Your Group

v

I

f you book your own motorcoach instead of going through a tour operator, be an informed consumer and know what questions to ask. Safety, quality, customer service and affordability are among the criteria in choosing the right company.

Whether you are chartering a bus for a day trip or longer journey, reserve it as soon as you know the dates. Availability is at a premium during spring break, for example.

The bus industry is made up of more than 3,000 local and regional companies across the U.S. and Canada. There are no national charter bus companies.

You can go online and find motorcoach companies that serve your town or the flight arrival destination. Also check with fellow teachers and the school district to see what bus companies they have used.

It’s advisable to get price quotes from at least three companies. Because of the variables involved, initial contact should be by phone. The company will provide a written quote via fax or email. Local trips are typically priced by the hour, longer trips (averaging more than 300 miles a day) by the mile.

Keep in mind that the cheapest option is not always the best one. Cutting corners on price could mean cutting corners on safety and quality.

When dealing with a motorcoach company, ask these questions: ❑ How long has your company been in business? ❑ What is the average age of your fleet? ❑ How many motorcoaches do you operate? ❑ What about driver training and safety? ❑ What is the passenger capacity of the various types of buses available? ❑ What onboard amenities are offered (i.e. restroom, video/audio equipment, tables, shades/curtains)? A public address system with a microphone is a must. ❑ Are food and beverages allowed onboard? ❑ What about taxes and additional charges? In most states there is no sales tax for chartering a bus. Companies may impose a fuel surcharge during periods of fuel price volatility. ❑ Does the price include parking, tolls, driver’s tip or driver’s hotel room? The standard driver gratuity is 10%. You need to book the driver’s room, but for large groups the hotel often will comp the driver’s room. ❑ Are there any additional charges I may be billed for following the trip? ❑ How much of a deposit is required? The average 18

Student Travel Planning Guide

deposit, according to busrates.com, is 22%, but it says the current trend is to require 100% payment upfront. ❑ When is final payment due? Typically, it’s due 10 to 30 days before departure. ❑ What is the cancellation policy? Most companies allow you to cancel without penalty 14 to 30 days before travel. ❑ What is the procedure in the event of a breakdown? It’s advantageous to deal with a company that has a large enough fleet to replace your coach in case of serious problems. ❑ How does the company handle a faulty air-conditioning unit or public address system?

✓

SAFETY AND FINANCIAL CONCERNS

A reliable motorcoach operator will be in compliance with government regulations. The American Bus Association (ABA) offers these guidelines: ❑ Motorcoach companies must have federal operating authority if they cross any state or provincial lines, and should be able to offer you that proof, which is issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) or Transport Canada.

Many states and provinces also require that a carrier obtain authority for interstate operations. ❑ Ask for a current insurance certificate that provides a minimum of $5 million in liability insurance coverage. ❑ Ask for the carrier’s U.S. Department of Transportation

studenttraveldirectory.com

(DOT) number. Carriers are required to have the number clearly displayed. By using that five- or six-digit number, you can view the carrier’s safety and insurance information on the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website (www.safersys.org). ❑ All U.S-based motorcoaches must be inspected annually.

Ask the company about inspection and bus maintenance.

Does the company have its own maintenance facility? ❑ All U.S. drivers are required to have a current Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with a “passenger” endorsement printed on the license itself. CDLs are only issued after drivers have demonstrated their abilities through on-road skills and a knowledge test. ❑ Long or quick-turnaround trips may require an extra driver to adhere to federal hours of service safety requirements.

(Operators cannot drive more than 10 hours following eight consecutive hours off-duty.)

Ask if the operator is a member of any industry associations, such as ABA and United Motorcoach Association (UMA).

For customer service ratings on most bus companies, contact the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org).

studenttraveldirectory.com

Check with fellow teachers and the school district to see what bus companies they have used.

Student Travel Planning Guide

19

:

Selecting the Right Hotel T

he quality of hotels varies considerably. Tour providers will use hundreds of different properties, obtaining the best possible price in line with the overall cost of the student tour.

Students are lodged three or four to a room; adults are placed two to a room. Each room has a private bath and shower. Most hotels used on student tours will be two- or three-star properties, although it is not uncommon to be lodged in a four-star hotel. Group leaders with specific requests should make those known to tour providers months before departure.

Questions regarding hotels should include:

❑ If the hotel is in the city, is the neighborhood safe ❑ If not in the city, how far from the central city ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

is the hotel If rural, is the hotel on the city transportation grid Has this particular hotel been used by the tour provider before If breakfast is included, is it continental style, buffet, or a full, hot breakfast Is there Internet access Does the hotel have indoor corridors Does the hotel maintain independent security Are the rooms furnished with mini-bars

✓

they get lost while in the city

❑ Look over the neighborhood before allowing students to leave the hotel during free time

❑ Let students know where breakfast will be served ❑ The on-site tour director will post the daily itinerary in the hotel lobby; students should know where this is

❑ Hold a brief meeting that reemphasizes hotel behavior ❑ Advise against using in-room telephone service COMMON HOTEL PROBLEMS

❑ Students congregating in the hotel halls and disturbing other guests ❑ Slamming of room doors ❑ Excessive noise from student rooms after curfew ❑ Students missing breakfast and wanting to eat on the coach ❑ Taking food from the breakfast room to use for lunch 20

garbage properly ❑ Access to adult channels (should be turned off )

✓

MINI-BARS AND ALCOHOL ACCESS

❑ Groups with alcohol policies must advise the tour providers CHECKING IN

❑ Prepare rooming lists ahead of arrival ❑ Give each student a hotel business card in the event

✓

❑ Leaving rooms in disarray and failing to dispose of

Student Travel Planning Guide

and on-site tour directors to prevent student use of minibars in hotel rooms ❑ Mini-bars that cannot be locked must be manually divested of alcohol. This may entail an additional room charge. ❑ Even if no alcoholic beverages are in these refrigerators, the prices on everything from bottled water to soft drinks are highly inflated

Teachers can get a good overview of assigned hotels by looking over the hotel webpage and reading reviews of the hotel by other patrons. It is also helpful to ask the tour provider to provide the names of other group leaders who stayed in that particular hotel.

studenttraveldirectory.com

The Beauty of Making the Hotels in Burr Ridge Your Base Camp in Chicago:

You’ll be in Chicago but not “in” Chicago.

-XVW PLOHV IURP 'RZQWRZQ &KLFDJR %XUU 5LGJH HSLWRPL]HV WKH LGHD RI D VPDOO FRPIRUWDEOH YLOODJH QHDU RQH RI WKH ZRUOG·V JUHDW FLWLHV <RX·OO ÀQG LW WR EH FRQYHQLHQWO\ ORFDWHG WR VSRUWV FRPSOH[HV DQG SRSXODU ÀHOG WULS ORFDWLRQV DQG \RX·OO HQMR\ JUHDW VDYLQJV RYHU GRZQWRZQ KRWHOV $QG DFFHVV WR &KLFDJR LV MXVW D KRS VNLS DQG D MXPS DZD\ 9LVLW %XUU5LGJH+RWHOV FRP RU FRQWDFW#%XUU5LGJH+RWHOV FRP

+RWHO VDYLQJV XS WR _ $ VKRUW ULGH LQWR WKH FLW\ _ 6DIH XSVFDOH QHLJKERUKRRG &ORVH WR UHVWDXUDQWV _ )5(( EXV SDUNLQJ EXPERIENCE

5RRPV VT IW RI EDQTXHW VSDFH , DW &RXQW\ /LQH 5RDG H[LW $ % MXVW } PLOH VRXWK RI ,

✓

NEGOTIATING WITH HOTELS

Book early to ensure your chosen dates. By locking in early, If you are organizing the tour yourself, rather than working you’ll probably save money. with a travel agent or tour operator, you will need to learn the Because you are representing a group, you will need to speak fine art of negotiating to get the best deal for your group. with the hotel sales department, not the reservations department.

Be ready to provide the approximate number of sleeping rooms Negotiating directly with the hotel can be complex, so it’s needed, the types of rooms needed and the dates you want. essential to do your homework. Since negotiating is not part of our culture, it rarely comes easy. But hotel sales departments Besides sleeping rooms, you may need a meeting/party room, negotiate everyday, and if you don’t ask the right questions, you meals or a welcome reception. You may get a better room rate if may end up paying more than you should. Show them you’ve done the hotel knows your group will be using other services. But do your research and let them know you are shopping around. not select a hotel just because it offers the lowest price. You may not get the quality you want.

In the negotiating process, here are some things to ask: ❑ Are there special rates or perks available for student groups? ❑ Are there dates and times when rates are lowest? Downtown hotels that cater to corporate business may offer good weekend rates, for example. If you’re flexible, you can save up to 50 percent off peak-period prices. ❑ Is a free room provided for every so many reservations? Does the tour leader or bus driver get a free room? ❑ Does the room rate include all taxes and tips? ❑ What kind of deposit is required and when is it due? When is final payment due? ❑ How long will the block of rooms be held?

Group events are all about enjoying each ❑ What is the last date to cancel without other’s company. So why not plan yours losing money? in the place with the most thrilling attractions ❑ What is the hotel’s attrition clause on and versatile accommodations – “The Waterpark Capital of the World!®” unused rooms?

Not only do we have the largest concentration Also have a wish list of extra benefits you of waterparks in the world, we also have would like provided for your group. Just by a pretty good concentration of smiles. groups@wisdells.com | (800) 223-3557 asking you may be able to get some things MeetInTheDells.com free or at reduced rates. Among complimentary amenities you can enquire about: ❑ Airport or mall transportation ❑ Audio-visual equipment ❑ Hospitality suite or meeting room You should receive a written contract at the end of the negotiations. Once signed, the contract becomes legally binding on both parties. Get everything in writing— from the total price and number of rooms to the smallest promised service.

22

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

Happenin’ in 2012: VOODOO MUSIC EXPERIENCE • OCT 26-28 STATE FARM BAYOU CLASSIC • NOV 24 CHRISTMAS NEW ORLEANS STYLE • DEC 1-31

Happenin’ in 2013: 79TH ANNUAL ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL • JAN 2 SUPER BOWL XLVII • FEB 3 MARDI GRAS • FEB 12 ROCK ‘N’ ROLL NEW ORLEANS MARATHON & 1/2 MARATHON • FEB 24 TENNESSEE WILLIAMS/NEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL • MAR 21-25 CONGO SQUARE / NEW WORLD RHYTHMS FESTIVAL • MAR 23-25 CRESCENT CITY CLASSIC • MAR 30 NCAA WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR • APR 7 & 9 FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL • APR 11-14 ZURICH CLASSIC • APR 25-28 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL • APR 26-28 & MAY 3-5 NEW ORLEANS WINE & FOOD EXPERIENCE • MAY 21-25

N A E P O R re a EU

We’

CITY on a

P O -BOY

budget.

ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL • JULY 5-7 SAN FERMIN • JULY 11-14 COOLINARY NEW ORLEANS • AUGUST 1-31 SATCHMO SUMMERFEST • AUGUST 1-4 WHITNEY WHITE LINEN NIGHT • AUGUST 3

gis still stron r a ll o d e th where tion about a ropean city m u r E fo ly in n o e r e mo r Check out th chicory. For d n a e e scvb.com o ff n o a c le e r o th w n e o n m@ not to menti ontact touris c , o d d n a e to se all there is . anscvb.com le r o w e .n w visit ww

D

Meals, Fun and Souvenirs S

cheduling lunches, dinners, shopping and evening entertainment is as essential as picking hotels. Students on tour look forward to meals and down time that allow breaks from sightseeing and performing. Over pizza and pasta they can unwind and recharge. At a theater or sporting event they’ll appreciate being part of the audience, not an on-stage participant. And every itinerary has to allow time for students to pick up mementos of their big adventure.

✓

MEALTIME OPTIONS

Many tour companies include some or all meals in the cost of the tour. To keep costs in line, the menu selection is often predetermined.

Be prepared to accommodate students who are vegetarians and those who require special diets for health or religious reasons. Buffets usually satisfy those with dietary restrictions and picky eaters and can be economical as well.

In some cases, students may receive meal vouchers to be used for food of their choice in a certain restaurant or group of restaurants. For meals on their own, make sure students are advised how much to budget for. What are the guidelines for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Consider these meal venue choices: ❑ Restaurant private room ❑ Restaurant public room ❑ Hotel banquet room ❑ Mall food court ❑ School cafeteria ❑ Park ❑ Lunch or dinner cruise boat Factors to consider when choosing restaurants: ❑ Price. Does it fit into your budget? ❑ Ambience. Is the restaurant a good choice for a loud group of students? ❑ Location. Is it convenient to tourist sights or the hotel? ❑ Capacity for a large group. Can all students be seated at one time and in the same section of the restaurant? ❑ Availability and affordability of local specialties that students should try as part of the cultural experience ❑ Chain restaurants offer predictability, but one-of-a-kind places offer more local flavor 24

Student Travel Planning Guide

✓

ALCOHOL POLICY

If students are of legal age, will you allow them to drink wine and beer with their meals? If you are bringing students to France or Germany, for example, you must decide what your policy is on drinking.

❑ Be clear from the outset about limits and penalties ❑ Put the policy in writing and require that students and parents sign it ❑ What is the alcohol policy for chaperones?

Be prepared to accommodate students who are vegetarians and those who require special diets for health or religious reasons. Buffets usually satisfy those with dietary restrictions and picky eaters and can be economical as well. studenttraveldirectory.com

GREAT FOOD GREAT FUN! Service, Value, Variety

Free meals for your driver and group leader • Almost 500 locations • Ample free motor coach parking • All-inclusive nationwide pricing • Food that’s ready for a quick, hassle-free stop • A wide variety of foods to accommodate specific diet choices

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner

Reservations made easy.

Visit www.buffet.com/leisuregroup E-Mail: groupsales@buffetsinc.com Phone: 800-753-8207

© 2011 Buffets, Inc.

Variety of Choices

Fresh Salad Sensations

✓

ENTERTAINMENT

Spice up your itinerary with shows, spectator sports and special events. It makes sense to choose something typical to the area, such as theater in London or New York, a rodeo in Texas or bluegrass music in Kentucky. Keep college and minor league games in mind—they’re more affordable.

Theater/concerts ❑ Plays and musicals ❑ Ballet, contemporary dance ❑ Symphonies, classical music ❑ Pop/rock music concerts ❑ Country music concerts/revues Spectator sports ❑ Baseball ❑ Football ❑ Soccer ❑ Lacrosse ❑ Hockey ❑ Basketball ❑ Auto racing

✓

Events

❑ Festivals ❑ Rodeos ❑ County/state fairs ❑ Circuses

SHOPPING

Most itineraries give groups a chance to buy souvenirs.

Students can shop in familiar mall surroundings or explore retail areas with stores they wouldn’t see at home. To work in a shopping experience, consider:

❑ An enclosed mall, especially tempting in extremely cold or hot weather. A plus: student-friendly food courts ❑ City neighborhoods with a collection of funky stores concentrated on two or three blocks, with hip fashions and other merchandise of interest to young shoppers ❑ Charming small towns where gift shops occupy historic buildings in a Main Street setting, many offering local foods and other specialties of the area ❑ Fairs and festivals with local craft and other vendors

Students on tour look forward to meals and down time that allow breaks from sightseeing and performing

26

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

O

n tour discipline begins with the first trip meeting.

Students must be given all of the disciplinary-related expectations before they enroll on the trip. Extra care should be taken in considering interested students who have a clear history of disciplinary problems. Some teacher group leaders interview prospective tour participants in a meeting with their parents in order to detail expectations.

General tour expectations should include: ❑ Following all group leader, tour director and chaperone instructions ❑ Being on time for every event ❑ Abiding by set nightly curfews ❑ Never leaving the group without obtaining permission ❑ Maintaining rules set by hotels and coach providers ❑ Agreeing to follow any alcohol and drug policies established for touring students ❑ Treating all persons on the tour with respect, especially in situations with consolidated groups ❑ If the trip is school-sponsored, following all published behavior expectations

✓

COMMON DISCIPLINARY VIOLATIONS

∏

Disciplinary Matters

For students who do not follow rules, consequences might include: ❑ Cleaning the interior of the coach at the end of a travel day

❑ Being confined to the hotel between dinner and curfew ❑ Loss of free time privileges ❑ Spending any free time in the company of a chaperone ❑ Helping to load baggage onto the coach

For more serious infractions, parents can be called or emailed to elicit their support in talking to the student. You should never ban a student from an excursion on the tour itinerary or any optional activities that have been paid for. This can result in unnecessary liabilities with parents.

❑ Going off alone during free time ❑ Leaving the hotel after curfew or bed checks ❑ Disrupting others on the coach with loud talking ❑ Arriving late at established meeting spots ❑ Drinking alcoholic beverages if an alcohol policy forbids this ❑ Visiting out-of-bounds places such as “red light” districts Much can be said about adolescent alcohol policies and it is frequently a subject of discussion at conferences of teacher group leaders. Regardless of what the policy might be, group leaders and chaperones need to be aware that alcohol is readily available in bars and hotels. Most European countries adhere to a drinking age of 18, but this varies by country. In Greece, for example, the drinking age is 16.

✓

ENFORCING DISCIPLINE ON TOUR

Sending a student home for a disciplinary infraction is usually frowned upon by tour providers anxious to avoid legal difficulties with parents and guardians. This threat should never be used unless it can be enforced. Such last resort actions must be pre-arranged with parents and guardians and put into writing.

28

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

Chaperone Selection and Duties R

egardless of group size, obtaining an appropriate number of chaperones will ensure a successful tour experience.

Most student tour providers offer “free spots” that are based on the number of paying participants. This ratio is usually 1-6 but can vary depending on the tour provider. This makes chaperoning a student tour attractive. Chaperones should realize, however, that this is not a free vacation.

✓

RECRUITING CHAPERONES

All chaperones should have some experience with students either as teachers, school administrators or some other educational, professional venue. Initial recruiting should include the following: ❑ Experience in working with adolescents ❑ Willingness to help plan and facilitate ❑ Ability to attend all pre-tour meetings ❑ Assist with documentation such as obtaining passports and visas ❑ Prepared to spend money on items not covered in the free spot such as lunches or beverages ❑ Ability to chaperone small groups of students on flights if the departure and/or return flights are split ❑ Following all tour guidelines in respect to student expectations such as an alcohol policy

✓

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

☛

❑ Accompanying a student home if severe illness or disciplinary problems warrant such last resort actions

❑ Making sure all students wake up at the proper time and are prepared for the day’s activities

❑ Monitoring students during “free time” ❑ Willingness to accompany students on free day excursions ❑ Taking over the group if the lead teacher or group leader cannot complete the tour

Skilled chaperones help make a student tour successful. They ensure the reputation of the group while assisting the group leader in daily operations. Chaperone compensation is the free trip, which they can thoroughly enjoy within the parameters of their responsibilities.

AVOIDING CERTAIN GROUPS AS CHAPERONES

Family members of the teacher group leader Unqualified parents of student participants Spouses of qualified chaperones Older students who may be school alumni

✓

ON TOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Any adults involved in leading or chaperoning a student tour must be prepared to be on call at any hour. If there are a number of chaperones, it is helpful to divide responsibilities and give each chaperone at least one night off during the tour. On tour chaperone responsibilities will include:

❑ Responsibility for small student groups throughout the tour

❑ Assisting with student discipline ❑ Helping to facilitate curfews and room-checks at night ❑ Staying behind if a student is too ill to participate in the activities on any particular day

30

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

Forward MARCH. tŝůůŝĂŵ :͘ ůŝŶƚŽŶ WƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚŝĂů ĞŶƚĞƌ͕ >ŝƚƚůĞ ZŽĐŬ Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville

Lead your troops around some of America’s best-preserved Civil tĂƌ ďĂƩ ůĞĮ ĞůĚƐ͕ ŚŝƐƚŽƌŝĐ ĨƌŽŶƟ Ğƌ ƚŽǁŶƐ͕ Ă ŵŽĚĞƌŶ ƉƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƟ Ăů ůŝďƌĂƌLJ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͛Ɛ ŐƌĞĂƚĞƐƚ ŶĞǁ ŵƵƐĞƵŵ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƟ ŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŵĞƌŝĐĂŶ ƐƉŝƌŝƚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ĂƌƟ ƐƟ Đ ŵĂƐƚĞƌƉŝĞĐĞƐ͘ 'Ğƚ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟ ŽŶ Ăƚ

ArkansasGroupTravel.com or call 1-800-872-1259

Civil War re-enactment, Prairie Grove Battlefield

On Tour: Daily Details

v

A

ll the planning is finished and you are now on the road.

The following will be important in your daily travel schedule:

❑ Stress to everyone that it’s important to stick to a preassigned schedule. Let students know that being on time will give them more time for sightseeing, shopping, socializing and sleeping. ❑ Make multiple announcements of departure and arrival times throughout the day ❑ Will there be a system of seat rotation so that everyone gets their share of time in the front and back of the bus? ❑ Have some rules in place for keeping the bus clean ❑ Have rules in place regarding use of cell phones and electronic games on the bus ❑ Keep your tour healthy and be aware of students who may be feeling sick. Consider bringing a supply of Ibuprofin and Pepto-Bismol for headaches and upset stomachs. ❑ In the event of minor injuries, bring a first-aid kit or make sure there is one on the bus ❑ Keep a head count so you don’t lose any students ❑ Don’t let students go places alone. They should always be with at least one other student or chaperone ❑ Divide supervisory responsibilities between chaperones.

One chaperone, for example, may be responsible for a certain group of kids. ❑ Have a system for making sure everyone gets up on time in the morning. Have the hotel make wakeup calls and/or chaperones knock on doors. Or make students responsible by setting alarms on their cell phones.

Chances are the pace of the tour will be hectic, but that’s because you want your group to experience as much as possible in a short amount of time. Keep in mind that students will get tired, and you do not want to push them too hard, but do not let temporary exhaustion limit their experiences. They are young, and they may not appreciate nor understand what they are doing at the time, but they will in the long run. Remember, standing in front of the Eiffel Tower is fun, but going to the top is a lifechanging moment. They paid to go to Paris. They may want to go back to the hotel to sleep and hang out after dinner, but when they are 30, they will not remember that nap or conversation.

If you push them to stay out and do all they can, they will remember their Eiffel Tower visit for years to come.

Let students know that being on time will give them more time for sightseeing, shopping, socializing and sleeping.

32

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

✈

Foreign Travel: Know Before You Go I

nternational travel... centuries ago, intrepid explorers would set sail for months at a time to discover unknown lands and acquire new knowledge. Nowadays, a half day of travel on a plane and the use of Google images take most of the guesswork out of it, but the exhilarating feeling you and your students get of discovery, learning new ways of doing things, seeing new people and expanding your view of the world is likely not much different than those bold adventurers from the past.

Just by talking to some people who’ve made a long journey to travel internationally, you get a sense of the immense enjoyment of it. Watch a friend’s eyes light up when he talks about the shops and smells of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, or relate stories of practicing Spanish with a native speaker in Argentina, volunteering on a conservation project in Australia or exploring the Great Wall of China. These experiences stay with you long after the trip is over, and they add immensely to your student’s personal growth.

What to consider before traveling internationally: Positive, negative or just neutral, these are things to keep your group mindful of when heading to international destinations. Some of them can and should be arranged before your group even touches ground in the new country: ❑ Local customs. Do your homework on your destinations beforehand – do people shake hands when meeting? Is tipping expected, and how much? Can you haggle in the shops and what’s a fair price to pay? ❑ Know the phones. Believe it or not, one of the most daunting and stress-inducing things about international travel is figuring out how to dial numbers, both locally and for calls back home. If a young traveler is having a bout of homesickness or needs to make some scheduling changes, it can be a very challenging time if he can’t get on the line. The trick?

Well, for starters, do an Internet search for dialing tips. Rick Steves, the guru of European travel, has some great guidelines here: ricksteves.com/plan/tips/phonechart.htm. (Bonus hint: turn off data roaming on your phone to avoid some heavyduty roaming charges when strolling along the Seine or standing in Red Square). ❑ Insurance options. While the medical systems in many parts of the world are less costly than the U.S., it can still add to your pain to be facing medical issues without insurance 34

Student Travel Planning Guide

when you’re copin’ in Copenhagen or feeling badly in Bali.

Check out ourtravelprotector.com.

✓

WHEN YOU’RE THERE

❑ Open your mind. Tell your students that nothing is “weird” - just different than what you’re used to seeing or doing. If you’re thinking “we don’t do it like this back home,” that’s precisely the point.

studenttraveldirectory.com

❑ Try it. That squid’s eye might be looking at you while it sits on your plate, but if you wanted to keep eating macaroni and cheese, you could have stayed at home. You don’t have to like all foods – most of us don’t – but try things and then put them aside if they’re not for you. (Bonus tip: find out if anyone in your group has food allergies before you head off.) ❑ Front pockets. Use them. Pickpockets and purse-snatchers love large groups, and we’re not as used to them back home. (Bonus tip: When walking through a busy airport, bus, metro or train station, one trick they use is to “drop” something in front of you and have their teammate come behind and grab what they can while you’re distracted.) ❑ Anticipate some tough days. Just like at home, people will have bad days on the road and they can be even more stressful when in a foreign land. But taking a Zen approach and telling yourself (and your group) “hey, I expected this” as something lousy happens helps smooth out the trip immensely.

Overall, there’s really no downside to traveling internationally – the great experiences will put a smile on people’s faces for years to come as they remember that stunning sunset in Tuscany or that powerful performance at the Sydney Opera House; the tough times will only help build up resilience and an appreciation for just how lucky we are.

If a young traveler is having a bout of homesickness or needs to make some

Learning Journeys powered by Perillo Tours

Since 1945, the Perillo family has been America’s leader in educational travel. There is no greater experience than visiting sites where history, culture and art connect people through a hands-on experience. Book your 2013/2014 Learning Journey by December 31, 2012 and we’ll educate you at our yearly symposium in Italy!

Yearly Learning Journeys® Symposium In Italy- Be Our GuestSubmit For Continuing Educational Credits We are committed to education. When you book a group of 20 or more by Dec. 31, 2012, you will be our guest for Perillo Tours’ yearly learning symposium hosted in Italy each fall. Our 4-day educational conference focuses on the art, history, language and culture of Italy, along with the latest trends in educational travel. We visit different regions each year, so you will have a chance to explore the depth and diversity of the Italian culture and its people.

scheduling changes, it can be

a very challenging time if he can’t get on the phone.

studenttraveldirectory.com

Visit our website at PerilloTours.com/groups to view the Learning Journeys® digital brochure or request a brochure shipment.

For more info call 855-PT-Groups (855-784-76870) or email groups@PerilloTours.com

Student Travel Planning Guide

35

˝

Voluntourism Opportunities W

hether it’s to beef up a resume, find self-fulfillment, see the world or simply to help others, more and more students are being drawn to voluntourism. These trips combine work with pleasure, giving students the opportunity to serve the less fortunate or contribute to a cause while exploring other parts of the world. Rural and Third World destinations give many voluntourism groups a more genuine snapshot of other countries and cultures, more than just a fleeting glimpse of tourist hotspots. As with any student trip, a number of factors need to be taken into account when planning a volunteer trip.

✓

GROUP DYNAMICS

Know your group and their reasons for going on the trip.

Are they really passionate about devoting their entire trip to hard labor, or would they rather do more sightseeing with a smaller dose of volunteering? Do they want to work with kids or people in the community, or would they prefer to work mainly alongside fellow group members? Does everyone in this group know each other already, or are group activities necessary to build camaraderie? Are there any specific causes that they are passionate about? Is there any place they would really like to see? Do they mind not being able to speak the same language as the people they are going to serve? The answers to these questions will go a long way in determining what to do and where to take your group.

✓

TYPE OF WORK

Now that you have a better feel for what your group wants to get out of this experience, it’s time to determine what you will be doing. Voluntourism can range from building trails in U.S. national parks to teaching English and building houses in Vietnam. Research what other groups have done in the past, and see if any of those trips pop out at you as something your group would enjoy. If not, don’t be afraid to bring a new idea to the table. There is plenty of work to be done in the world, and just because it hasn’t been started yet doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be.

✓

WORK/PLAY BREAKDOWN

Knowing what you want to do, you’ll need to determine how much you want to do. Some work choices inherently have time commitments attached to them. For example, if you are hoping to teach English, it’s hard to make any real headway in just two days. The same goes for if you are going to be work36

Student Travel Planning Guide

ing in a community or orphanage and you want to build relationships with the people or the children. You’ll need to spend four or five days minimum working on these types of trips.

Even if you are hoping to spend most of your time working, still plan a day or two for relaxation and sightseeing. Even the most intense voluntourism trips usually include a rest or free day in the middle and a day to unwind before returning home.

Be wary of planning group sightseeing excursions in the evening after work days. Your group may need that time to simply rest and relax, and can always do some impromptu sightseeing if they feel up to it.

studenttraveldirectory.com

If you are planning on working one or two days on your trip, make sure you choose a location that will suit your group’s desire to sightsee. There won’t be six full days of different things to do if your group sets up shop in a small African village. Choose a location that has enough options for the amount of group tour days you wish to have.

✓

FINAL DECISIONS

At this point, with everything taken into account, you may only have 2-3 trips that fit your group and what they want out of the experience. Now it’s time to consider price, available dates and other logistics. Take a look at different voluntourism organizations and see if any of their trips would seem to be a fit. If not, get to work on making a trip specifically tailored to your group a reality. Whatever the case may be, you are on the right track to planning a voluntourism trip that will reward both your group and those you choose to serve.

These trips combine work with pleasure, giving students the opportunity to serve the less fortunate or contribute to a cause while exploring other parts of the world.

studenttraveldirectory.com

Student Travel Planning Guide

37

#

Post-Trip Ideas P

ost-tour events and activities help to maintain momentum by sparking interest in future trips and providing positive reinforcement for recent participants. After-the-trip activities can include:

❑ Creating an online web page of tour pictures and participant comments, linked to the school website ❑ School bulletin boards featuring trip pictures ❑ A school-wide assembly focused on the tour ❑ Articles written by participants for the school newspaper ❑ Devoting yearbook space to both the prior tour and the newly proposed tour ❑ Creating a T-shirt that lists participants’ names and the tour destinations ❑ Summarizing the tour superlatives in PTA and other parent-oriented literature and correspondence ❑ A party where all participants bring food related to the cultures visited and their pictures for sharing

✓

LONG-TERM ACTIVITIES

Trip group leaders and moderators may wish to establish a school travel club that is led by students who have been on past tours. Club activities can include: ❑ Watching video of the prior trip (assuming a participant taped the tour activities) ❑ Watching brief travel DVDs and videos relevant to future trip destinations ❑ Celebrating holidays that tie to foreign cultures (example: Christmas in Germany or Scandinavia; a Dickens Christmas) ❑ Inviting foreign exchange students to share their experiences ❑ Displaying picture collages and tour information at school club fair events or PTA gatherings ❑ Submitting students’ personal tour accounts and experiences to local newspapers or other media ❑ Engaging in fundraising activities to raise money for future trips ❑ Field trips to local museums with exhibits that relate to trip destinations ❑ Meals at local restaurants that serve regional or ethnic cuisine related to the trip destination ❑ Ethnic festivals with music, dance, food and crafts ❑ Inviting speakers with expertise on trip destinations 38

Student Travel Planning Guide

✓

SEASONAL TRIP MEETINGS

Teacher group leaders can keep the trip momentum going by scheduling seasonal trip meetings. These meetings bridge past tours while instilling interest in future tours. Parents and students should be invited. Parents of former student tour participants are the best available reference for those with questions about tour operations.

Activities at trip meetings can include: ❑ Sharing portfolios created from recent trip experiences ❑ Discussing what new destinations potential participants might be interested in ❑ Making available all trip essentials such as spending money, insurances and trip expectations If the same tour provider is used, it is also helpful to schedule such meetings to coincide with visits by regional representatives of the provider.

Bridging the prior tour with future trips is essential because participants need time to pay for the trip. Thus, immediate post-tour activities play a crucial role while ongoing activities, like a school travel club, will build on that momentum.

studenttraveldirectory.com

✈

Why Your Student Travelers Need Group Travel Insurance

S

tudents and their parents often believe that youth means there won’t be problems that require insurance. Even if there is a problem, the student traveler will probably be covered by the insurance of a family member. This thought process generally, but not always, relates to medical problems – and many people think medical problems occur only as one ages, not with young adults.

Listed below are a few examples of claims paid during the past two years to students who were lucky enough to have purchased travel insurance: • Tonsillitis.........................................................$5,300 • Grandfather passed away............................$11,600 • Broken left hand.............................................$6,100 • Mental health (hospitalized)............................$6,800 • Mononucleosis ...............................................$8,200 • Severe separation anxiety (hospitalized) ......$5,900 • Dislocated knee..............................................$7,300 • Fall - minor brain injury, severe mouth trauma ....$5,500

Organizers of student travel can provide examples where students experienced a problem, but had not purchased travel insurance. Those students often thought they were covered under the insurance plan of a family member. Only after realizing the need for insurance did the student and his family find there was no coverage because the student was not living at home, was traveling out of the geographic range covered by the family insurance plan or for another reason spelled out in the family policy. It is most important that the student or the student’s family not assume there is medical coverage for the traveling student.

✓

TRIP CANCELLATION BENEFIT

Even if there is medical insurance coverage, there are other problems that result in financial cost to the student traveler and his family. After the trip has been paid in full, the student may have to cancel for a reason that is covered by the travel insurance trip cancellation benefit. Without travel insurance, the student could lose part or all of the amount paid for the trip. If the student has started the trip and then must cancel, he/she loses whatever has been invested in the balance of the trip and must pay to return

studenttraveldirectory.com

home – generally a lot of money because the travel arrangements are made at the last minute. An example of this type of trip interruption is the $11,600 payment (see chart) where the grandfather passed away and the student had to immediately return home.

In addition, there are two invaluable insurance benefits your student travelers need: financial insolvency protection and the ability to cancel for any reason. These benefits should be purchased through you, not tour providers. Why? Tour operators and cruise lines can’t insure against their own financial demise – so you won’t get protection against the travel provider’s insolvency if you purchase travel insurance directly from them. When travelers “cancel for any reason,” travel provider plans generally issue a voucher good for future travel only with them – not cash. Your students usually want cash, not a voucher.

It is most important that the student or the student’s family not assume there is medical coverage for the traveling student

Student Travel Planning Guide

39

The following destinations, attractions, hotels, restaurants and tour operators stand ready to help plan your next student trip. Please refer to them whenever you need inspirational trip ideas.

NEW FOR 2012 – DIRECTORY ID CODES! We’ve made it easier for you to connect with members of Student Travel Directory online. You’ll notice that adjacent to each listing is a numerical ID code. These codes unlock the company’s profile page on StudentTravelDirectory.com. By typing in the three- or four-digit number, you’ll access location maps, videos, photo galleries, special promotions and additional company information.

L I S T I N G

StudentTravelDirectory.com features hundreds of resources to help you plan your next journey – from pre-planned itineraries, group hotel booking engine and group deals, it’s one-stop shopping for student group tour planning.

CHECK IT OUT TODAY! A L A SKA ATTRACTIONS

D I R E C T O R Y

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

A RKA NSA S DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Arkansas Dept. of Parks & Tourism 1 Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 501-682-7777 renee.robison@arkansas.gov www.arkansas.com Arkansas annually attracts student tours from across the nation and abroad. Many are drawn to its abundant opportunities for outdoor adventures and to its natural beauty, as seen in the state’s waterfalls, tour caverns and wild caving experiences.

66

CA L I F O RNI A ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Autry National Center 4700 Western Heritage Way Los Angeles, CA 323- 667-2000, ext. 336 jjung@theautry.org www.theautry.org The Autry is California’s only museum dedicated to the history and stories of the American West with special exhibits, activities for kids, and lively programs to educate and entertain your student group tours.

482

Alaska Railroad 327 West Ship Creek Anchorage, AK 800-544-0552 kigers@akrr.com www.akrr.com The best way to see Alaska is on the railroad.

Our panoramic windows showcase wildlife and wide expanses of spectacular scenery, all while you recline in comfort and style. Book Goldstar service, first class luxury between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

IRIS by Cirque du Soleil at the Kodak Theater 6801 Hollywood Blvd.

Hollywood, CA 877-826-0255 la.sales@cirquedusoleil.com www.cirquedusoleil.com/groups Cirque du Soleil invites you to IRIS, a Journey Through the World of Cinema. Created exclusively for its permanent home at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, IRIS offers a new take on the art of cinema as only Cirque du Soleil could imagine it.

527

16918

A RI Z O NA DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Mesa, AZ CVB 120 North Center St. Mesa, AZ 480-827-4700 milt@visitmesa.com www.visitmesa.com Activities and attractions, museums, arts and culture, entertainment and group-friendly accommodations. Travel planning service, itinerary assistance, online brochure files and FAM trip assistance help make Mesa a great student group travel spot.

18

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art 2301 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 602-252-8848 dkrol@heard.org www.heard.org The Heard Museum is one of the finest centers of Native American art, including world-class exhibit galleries, gardens, gift shop & cafe. We accommodate groups from 10-60 for a variety of student group travel tours, packages & customized experiences.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum 40 Presidential Drive Simi Valley, CA 805-522-2977 mgiller@reaganfoundation.org www.reaganlibrary.com One of California’s must-see attractions. Guests tour through Air Force One 27000, view an exact replica of the Oval Office, visit President Reagan’s memorial site, and more. Be sure to visit our website to see upcoming special programs & events.

5450

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens 1151 Oxford Rd. San Marino, CA 626-405-2100 jsandmeier@huntington.org www.huntington.org The Huntington is an oasis of art & culture on 120 acres of breathtaking gardens near Pasadena. Explore art & library treasures, 16 formal gardens and indulge in tea and be guided by exclusive student group tours.

502

5379 40

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Colorado Springs CVB 515 S. Cascade Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 800-888-4748 amy@visitcos.com www.visitcos.com Blue skies, breathtaking settings and epic adventure await you in Colorado Springs. With over 55 attractions and a variety of lodging options, Colorado Springs is the perfect place for hub-and-spoke fun.

16916

Ron Jon Surf Shop 3850 S. Banana River Blvd.

Cocoa Beach, FL 321-799-8880 shannond@rjss.com www.ronjons.com Ron Jon Surf Shop’s Cocoa Beach location is the World’s Largest Surf Shop and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Free bus parking and student group discounts available!

14859

F LO R ID A ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Blue Man Group - Universal Orlando Resort 1000 Universal Studios Plaza, B-110 Orlando, FL 800-258-3626 blueman.com www.bluemangroup@universalorlando.com Bigger. Better. Balder. Blue Man Group at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida. Groups of all shapes and sizes are being thrilled by the night-time party known as Blue Man Group.

10663

SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment 7007 SeaWorld Drive Orlando, FL 407-363-2274 cindy.kelly@seaworld.com www.seaworldorlando.com Your student travel group will have the opportunity to entertain thousands of guests during an experience they won’t soon forget.

16936

15065 TIP: Visit StudentTravelDirectory.com and type in the ID code found in each supplier’s listing to unlock that company’s web page with special promotions and complete company details!

G EO RG I A DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Atlanta CVB 233 Peachtree Street N.E., Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 404-521-6612 tspann@atlanta.net www.atlanta.net With exciting new attractions, a remarkable historical legacy, a thriving cultural scene and affordable fun for all, Atlanta is the perfect destination for the student group travel market.

4421

Sandy Springs Hospitality & Tourism 5920 Roswell Rd., Suite A-118 Sandy Springs, GA 770-206-1445 will.carlson@sandyspringsga.org www.visitsandysprings.org Sandy Springs, with its proximity to Atlanta, offers a selection of events, sights and activities that will keep your student group travel tours entertained every time you visit the Atlanta region.

10657

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum 441 Freedom Parkway Atlanta, GA 404-865-7100 carterlibrary@nara.gov www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum is all new, award-winning, highly interactive and will fascinate the whole family. See why it has been called Best of Atlanta.

10673

CREATIVITY INSPIRES Group & FIT Priority Ticketing NEW YORK

BOSTON

s

Expert Sales Consultants

CHICAGO

LAS VEGAS

s

Educational Materials

ORLANDO

Appearing exclusively at sea onboard

NATIONAL TOUR

1.800.BLUEMAN BLUEMAN.COM

L I S T I N G

La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil Downtown Disney Walt Disney World Resort, FL orlando.sales@cirquedusoleil.com www.cirquedusoleil.com/groups La Nouba transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary and stimulates the imagination from beginning to end with daring acrobatics, dazzling choreography, vibrant music and whimsical characters only in Downtown Disney Westside at Walt Disney World.

D I R E C T O R Y

C O LO R A D O

G EO RG I A

continued

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Underground Atlanta 50 Upper Alabama St. Atlanta, GA 404-523-2311 mlawrence@underatl.com www.underground-atlanta.com Experience It All on the original streets of Atlanta. Over six blocks of shopping, dining, history and entertainment right in the heart of downtown Atlanta.

10676

I L L I NO I S DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

L I S T I N G

Lake County CVB 5465 West Grand, Suite 100 Gurnee, IL 800-525-3669 maureen@lakecounty.org www.lakecounty.org Lake County is a perfect place for students! We offer up to 20 themed itineraries depending on your needs from hidden treasures, culinary, gardens, mansions, military, green initiatives, holiday, spooky and more!

15188

D I R E C T O R Y

Quad Cities CVB 1601 River Drive, Suite 110 Moline, IL 800-747-7800, ext. 100 dgleason@visitquadcities.com www.visitquadcities.com Your student groups can experience the beauty of the historic Mississippi riverfront cities of Davenport & Bettendorf in Iowa, and Rock Island & Moline/East Moline in Illinois. It’s the Midwest at its best.

4477

ACCOMODATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Burr Ridge Hotels Burr Ridge, IL www.burrridgehotels.com Come stay at the Quality Inn & Conference Center in Burr Ridge. Our ideal location offers easy access for student groups touring the Chicago area.

16925

Blue Man Group - Briar Street Theatre 3133 N. Halsted Chicago, IL 800-258-3626 chicagogroups@blueman.com www.blueman.com Intelligent, engaging and tremendous fun...You leave the theater with a heightened awareness of everything surrounding you, feeling elated.

Groups of 15 or more are eligible for discounts.

16934

Drury Lane Theatre 100 Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace, IL 630-530-8300 donna@drurylaneoakbrook.com www.drurylaneoakbrook.com Offers a warm, inviting environment for an entertaining visit, presenting Broadway-quality musicals and comedies that are suitable for groups, social outings and benefit events.

193

John G. Shedd Aquarium 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 312-692-3375 mcurran@sheddaquarium.org www.sheddaquarium.org 5617

Navy Pier 600 E. Grand Ave. Chicago, IL 312-595-5335 lkoch@mpea.com www.navypier.com Your student travel groups can go overboard at Navy Pier, the Midwest’s top visited attraction.

Experience 50 acres of rides and attractions, including a 15-story Ferris wheel, IMAX theater, restaurants, shops, sightseeing and dining cruises.

25

Shoreline Sightseeing 474 N. Lake Shore Drive, Suite 3511 Chicago, IL 312-373-7258 ah@shorelinesightseeing.com www.shorelinesightseeing.com See Chicago at its best on a Shoreline Sightseeing Chicago River Architecture Cruise led by a professional, entertaining docent or on a narrated Lake Michigan Skyline Boat Tour showcasing Chicago’s famous skyline. Group rates March-November.

220

Days Inn Chicago 644 West Diversey Parkway Chicago, IL 773-525-7010 shrejsa@daysinnchicago.net www.daysinnchicago.net At the Days Inn Chicago, our breathtaking hotel rooms are put together with modern-day convenience and Old World charm. Accommodations span from singles to executive rooms and suites with extra amenities and comfy living areas.

16931

Loyola University Chicago 820 N. Michigan, LT-1400 Chicago, IL 773-508-8069 dstojiljkovic@luc.edu www.luc.edu/conference Loyola University Chicago, a private university founded as St. Ignatius College in 1870, is the nation’s largest Jesuit, Catholic University and the only one in Chicago.

16928 42

Student Travel Planning Guide

L O UI SI A NA DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

New Orleans CVB 2020 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, LA 800-748-8695 www.neworleanscvb.com Did you know that the Audubon Nature Institute’s Zoo and the Aquarium of the Americas are ranked top five in the country and the National World War II Museum has been designated by Congress as the “official” WWII museum? Your high school band can march in a festive Mardi Gras parade or play alongside some of the world’s most renowned musical artists.

529

TIP: Visit StudentTravelDirectory.com and type in the ID code found in each supplier’s listing to unlock that company’s web page with special promotions and complete company details!

studenttraveldirectory.com

New Orleans Plantation Country 2900 Highway 51 La Place, LA 985-359-2784 jay@neworleansplantationcountry.com www.neworleansplantationcountry.com Explore a place where time stands still, historic plantations await your visit, each with their own unique story and mystique, overlooking sugar cane fields & ancient avenues of oaks. Cajun and Creole cuisine & culture, just minutes from New Orleans.

4653

MARY L A N D ATTRACTIONS

16937

National Aquarium 501 E. Pratt St., Pier 3 Baltimore, MD 410-576-3800 kemiller@aqua.org www.aqua.org Visit the National Aquarium’s Baltimore venue and take an unforgettable journey into the mysteries of water and the beauty of the natural world, featuring 16,000 aquatic inhabitants, daily dolphin shows and a 4-D Immersion Theater.

15507

D I R E C T O R Y

Montgomery Parks 9500 Brunett Ave. Silver Springs, MD 301-495-2532 abbigail.irelan@montgomeryparks.org www.montgomeryparks.org Make History Come Alive! Lead your group on a tour of fascinating historic sites and learn about slavery, the Underground Railroad and life during the Reconstruction Era. Located just outside Washington, D.C. in Montgomery County, MD.

L I S T I N G

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

M A SSA CH USETTS

2012–13 Season Se son Sea

W INTER JJANUARY A NUA R Y 1 5 – F E BR U A R Y 2 4 WINTER 15–FEBRUARY 24 TSCHAIKOVSKY CELEBRATION T S C H A I KO V S K Y C ELEBR AT ION January Januar y 15–27 15 –2 7 & February Febr uar y 13–24 13 –2 4 IIncluding ncluding Two Two Weeks Weeks of of The T he Sleeping S le epin g B Beauty eaut y

SPRING SP R IN G A APRIL P R IL 3 30–JUNE 0 –J U NE 9 AMERICAN AM ERIC AN MUSIC MUSIC FESTIVAL FE S TI VAL April 19 A pr il 30–May 3 0 – May 1 9

G Group r oup S Sales ale s 2 212-870-4071 12- 8 7 0 - 4 0 71 nycballet.com nycb allet .com groupsales@nycballet.com gr oups ale s @nycb allet .com

D I R E C T O R Y

David D av id H. H. Koch Koch T Theater h e a te r a att L Lincoln incol n C Center e nte r

E Emily mily K Kikta, ik t a , Cameron C amer on D Dieck ie ck Photo P hoto by b y Henry Henr y Leutwyler L eu t w y ler © 2011 2 011

L I S T I N G

George G eor ge B Balanchine’s al anchine’s

T THE HE NUTCRACKER NUTCR ACK ER™ November N ovember 23–December 2 3 –December 3 30 0

NEV A D A

ATTRACTIONS

ATTRACTIONS

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Blue Man Group - Charles Playhouse 74 Warrenton St. Boston, MA 800-258-3626 bostongroups@blueman.com www.blueman.com The New York Times calls the critically acclaimed and award-winning Blue Man Group the most delightful performance piece ever staged. Groups of 15 or more save on most performances.

Blue Man Group - Las Vegas 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Las Vegas, NV 800-258-3626 lasvegasgroups@blueman.com www.blueman.com Moving to the Monte Carlo with an all new show on October 10, 2012. Groups of all shapes and sizes are being thrilled by the nightly party known as Blue Man Group.

16935

16932

Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House 399 Lexington Rd. Concord, MA 978-369-4118 info@louisamayalcott.org www.louisamayalcott.org Visit the historic home of the extraordinary Alcott family, where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set Little Women.

Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 877-826-0255 lasvegas.sales@cirquedusoleil.com www.cirquedusoleil.com/groups 6 great Vegas shows – Mystere at Treasure Island, O at Bellagio, KA at MGM Grand, The Beatles Love at the Mirage, Criss Angel Believe at Luxor and Viva Elvis at Aria Resort.

5710

8950

M I NNESO TA NEW JERSEY

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Mall of America 60 East Broadway Bloomington, MN 952-883-8499 millie.phillipp@moa.net www.mallofamerica.com/visit/visitors-guide The nation’s largest retail complex under one roof offers the ultimate shopping experience for your group trips. Boasting more than 520 stores and 60 restaurants, the world’s largest indoor amusement park and a world-class aquarium.

521

M I SSO URI

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Adventure Aquarium 1 Riverside Drive Camden, NJ 856-365-3300 rsieck@adventureaquarium.com www.adventureaquarium.com/groupsales.aspx Immerse your group student trips in our watery world and get ready to experience the life aquatic at the Adventure Aquarium. Now you can get hands-on, up close and more interactive than you ever imagined with these creatures of the sea.

5933

NEW Y O RK

DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Branson Lakes Area CVB 269 State Hwy. 248 Branson, MO 800-214-3661 lneimeyer@bransoncvb.com www.explorebranson.com The Branson Lakes Area is a bursting hub of live entertainment that offers up an exceptionally well-rounded ensemble of performance, educational and recreational travel experiences for student and youth groups to enjoy together.

15585

Rolla CVB 1311 Kingshighway Rolla, MO 573-364-3577 aimee@rollachamber.org www.visitrolla.com The middle of everywhere and home to Missouri’s finest rivers. However long you stay, we have something special for your student group tours. We are your gateway to the Ozarks, Branson and the excitement of metropolitan St. Louis.

5295 TIP: Visit StudentTravelDirectory.com and type in the ID code found in each supplier’s listing to unlock that company’s web page with special promotions and complete company details!

44

Student Travel Planning Guide

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Blue Man Group - Astor Place Theatre 599 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY 800-258-3626 newyorkgroups@blueman.com www.blueman.com Blue Man Group has updated the wildly popular theatrical show at the Astor Place Theatre. Signature moments combined with cool new stuff make for an outrageous evening of entertainment.

16933

Circle Line Downtown South Street Seaport, Pier 16 New York, NY 212-742-1969 info@nywt.com www.circlelinedowntown.com Our mission is to provide entertaining, stimulating, and enlightening ways to see New York City's dazzling skyline, celebrated bridges, and lush waterfront parks, while maintaining a community-conscious fleet that honors our cherished waterways. Our professional crew and staff provide the best customer service this side of the Hudson by maintaining only the highest standards for ourselves and our customers. The Circle Line Downtown experience is about creating lasting memories. What Moves You.....

15857 studenttraveldirectory.com

Group Sales Box Office/Broadway.com 729 7th Ave., 7th Floor New York City, NY 1-800-BROADWAY x2 groups@broadway.com www.broadway.com/groups Group Sales Box Office/Broadway.com is New York City’s premier theater ticket agency.

We offer the best group discount pricing to Broadway, Off-Broadway shows, touring productions across the United States, Broadway Classroom workshops and more.

21

L I S T I N G

Cirque du Soleil, New York Radio City Music Hall New York, NY 212-790-9540 ny.sales@cirquedusoleil.com zarkana@radiocitymusichall.com www.cirquedusoleil.com/groups Zarkana returns to Radio City Music Hall® to thrill audiences once again! Don’t miss the breathtaking acrobatics of this grand spectacle, seen by over 1.5 million people around the world! Cirque du Soleil would like to assist you in creating a group experience as unique and memorable as the shows themselves.

Each of our productions will surely provide your students with an unforgettable experience they will talk about forever.

8948

D I R E C T O R Y

New York City Ballet The Rose Building, 8th Floor, 70 Lincoln Center New York, NY 212-870-5692 ccoddington@nycballet.com www.nycballet.com NYC Ballet, one of the world’s foremost ballet companies, is accompanied by its own orchestra. For repertory seasons, groups enjoy discounts, priority seating, and Group Adventures with a NYCB dancer or musician, with an onstage view of the theater.

7299

New York Water Taxi 655 Third Ave. New York, NY 646-380-2011 jjacobs@nywt.com www.nywatertaxi.com New York Water Taxi’s Hop-On/Hop-Off service is the only water ride in New York City where one ticket is all that you need to see some of the city’s greatest attractions narrated by fun guides.

15828

O H IO DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Experience Columbus 277 W. Nationwide Blvd., Suite 125 Columbus, OH 614-221-6623 kkauffman@experiencecolumbus.com www.experiencecolumbus.com It’s time for your groups to experience Columbus. Students will create long-lasting memories when they enjoy one of our many experiential activities.

4992

studenttraveldirectory.com

The largest collection of sharks on the East Coast!

On the Camden Waterfront

Student Travel Planning Guide

45

Make Room for the Memories.

O KL A H O M A ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Cherokee Cultural Tourism/Heritage Center P.O. Box 515 Tahlequah, OK 888-999-6007 william.lowe@cherokeeheritage.org www.cherokeeheritage.org In all historical accounts of Cherokee history, education is revered with the utmost importance among the Cherokee people. Since the inception of the Cherokee Heritage Center, the mission has centered on educating the public about Cherokee culture.

L I S T I N G

10672

An adventure of historic proportion is waiting for your groups—at two living-history museums that explore America’s beginnings. They can board replicas of colonial ships. Grind corn in a Powhatan Indian village. Try on English armor inside a palisaded fort. And join historical interpreters at a Continental (YT` LUJHTWTLU[ MVY H ÄYZ[OHUK SVVR H[ [OL 9L]VS\[PVU»Z LUK ;HRL WHY[ PU guided tours and hands-on programs.

Tell them not to forget their cameras.

Because the history here is life size. And their memories will be even bigger!

SO UTH CA RO L I NA ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Gilmore Entertainment P.O. Box 7576 Myrtle Beach, SC 843-913-1453 jwatkins@gilmoreentertainment.com www.thecarolinaopry.com If your groups are looking for the best live performances in Myrtle Beach, look no further than The Carolina Opry Theater, home to the best shows for student group travel entertainment on the Grand Strand.

10681

TENNESSEE 1-888-868-7593

DESTINATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

D I R E C T O R Y

Pigeon Forge Dept. of Tourism P.O. Box 1390-I Pigeon Forge, TN 865-453-8574 ldowney@mypigeonforge.com www.mypigeonforge.com/group-tours Nestled in the foothills of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pigeon Forge is one of the top group tour destinations in the United States - the home of Dollywood and 14 great musical variety shows that include 5 dinner shows.

19

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum 222 Fifth Ave. South Nashville, TN 615-291-8417 mhershey@countrymusichallofframe.org www.countrymusichalloffame.com The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a rockin’ student group trip attraction. Let us take you on a journey down country music Memory Lane with Sing Me Back Home, our ever-changing permanent exhibit.

192

Grand Ole Opry 2802 Opryland Drive Nashville, TN 800-669-9016 wchamdler@gaylordentertainment.com www.opry.com What began as a simple radio broadcast in 1925 is today a live-entertainment phenomenon, showcasing a mix of country legends and contemporary chart-toppers, world famous for creating one-of-a-kind entertainment moments for your student group trips.

8627

46

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

V I RG I NI A

WA SH I NG TO N D .C.

DESTINATIONS

ATTRACTIONS

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Corpus Christi Area CVB 101 N. Shoreline, Suite 430 Corpus Christi, TX 800-678-6232 karnold@visitcorpuschristitx.org www.visitcorpuschristitx.org Explore sparkling expanses of windswept beaches, feast on the freshest seafood and relax under the warm Texas sky. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

VisitNorfolk 232 E. Main St. Norfolk, VA 800-368-3097 mhopper@norfolkcvb.com www.visitnorfolktoday.com VisitNorfolk provides itineraries designed for tour operators working with student group tours for educational, performance, class breaks and scouting trips. Request your customized itinerary online at www.visitnorfolktoday.com.

Newseum 555 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Washington, DC 888-639-7386 ljeffries@newseum.org www.newseum.org A 250,000-square-foot museum of news — offers student travel groups an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-tothe-second technology and hands-on exhibits.

16220

Lewisville CVB 151 W. Church St. Lewisville, TX 972-219-3726 jkunke@cityoflewisville.com www.visitlewisville.com Lewisville is an energetic destination with casual appeal just minutes away from Dallas and Fort Worth, nestled in the heart of North Texas. The historic charm of Old Town features specialty stores, restaurants, outdoor art, and events.

10671

TIP: Visit StudentTravelDirectory.com and type in the ID code found in each supplier’s listing to unlock that company’s web page with special promotions and complete company details!

6887

226

WA SH I NG TO N

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Colonial Williamsburg Williamsburg, VA groupsales@cwf.org www.colonialwilliamsburg.com For a convenient solution to planning a perfect Colonial Williamsburg student group tour, choose one of our packages. There are plans of many kinds to fit a range of budgets and interests.

8535

Jamestown Settlement & Yorktown Victory Center P.O. Box 1607 Williamsburg, VA 757-253-4214 catherine.rawlins@jyf.virginia.gov www.historyisfun.org History is an adventure at Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center.

Experience the story of America’s beginnings – from the founding of America’s first permanent English colony in 1607 to the Revolution and the establishment of a new nation.

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Argosy Cruises 1101 Alaska Way Pier 55, Suite 201 Seattle, WA 800-642-7816 maureenb@argosycruises.com www.argosycruises.com Argosy Cruises has been cruising the waters of the Pacific Northwest with group cruises since 1949. Argosy provides group tours with fully narrated tours, private charters, dining cruises and Tillicum Village.

16373

D I R E C T O R Y

DESTINATIONS

16930

Where every visit creates lasting memories Motorcoach travelers know that Pigeon Forge is the perfect place to make memories. Could be because there’s so much to see and do here … shopping, shows, Dollywood® or the majestic beauty of our Smoky Mountains. Or it could be that warm welcome they receive, kind of like visiting an old friend. Whatever the reason, they know that every visit creates memories that will last a lifetime.

L I S T I N G

TEXAS

PigeonForgeTours.com 1-800-285-7557

WEST V I RG I NI A DESTINATIONS

DESTINATIONS

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Convention & Visitors Bureau of Marion County 2 Mountain Park Drive White Hall, WV 800-834-7365 cvb@marioncvb.com www.marioncvb.com Your groups will love our mystery dinner theaters, country music shows, heritage attractions, fairs and festivals. Explore historic sites, indulge in unique shopping and dining, ride the rail trail or simply take in the beautiful countryside.

Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau 115 LaCrosse Street Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 800-223-3557 groups@wisdells.com www.wisdells.com Student group tours of all varieties rave about the diverse attractions and plentiful dining options in Wisconsin Dells, "The Waterpark Capital of the World!®"

9452

ATTRACTIONS

L I S T I N G

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

D I R E C T O R Y

WI SCO NSI N

National Radio Astronomy Observatory Green Bank Science Center P.O. Box 2 Green Bank, WV 304-456-2164 smccarty@nrao.edu www.nrao.edu/visitgb Experience science in action. Astronomers use the power of the Green Bank Telescope to answer mankind’s biggest questions. Offering more than tours—a field trip here might inspire your students to join the next generation of scientists and engineers.

16454 TIP: Visit StudentTravelDirectory.com and type in the ID code found in each supplier’s listing to unlock that company’s web page with special promotions and complete company details!

229

ATTRACTIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Harley-Davidson Museum 400 W. Canal St. Milwaukee, WI 414-287-2810 lisa.remby@harley-davidson.com www.h-dmuseum.com More than a nostalgia trip for motorcycle enthusiasts. Explore history and culture through the lens of an iconic American company; two restaurants, shop, factory tours, free parking.

8804

ACCOMODATIONS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Extra Holidays by Wyndham Exceeding Expectations at More than 80 Resorts Across the U.S. 800-619-4831 info@extraholidays.com www.wyndhamgroups.com Spacious 1- and 2- bedroom luxury condominium suites in spectacular resort settings across America. Ask about our attractive group rates and incentives for your next gathering.

16940

DINING ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Buca di Beppo 1300 Nicollet Mall, Suite 5003 Minneapolis, MN 888-896-7868 famiglia@bucainc.com www.bucadibeppo.com Buca serves fresh Italian food in family-style portions meant to share, great for groups. Call the National Sales Team at 866-941-2822 for more information.

Branson Country Tours 1140 W. 76 Highway Branson, MO 800-841-2376 bctours@aol.com www.bransoncountrytours.com You’ll love our excellent, reliable service and great rates. We’ll arrange your lodging with the amenities you need with the best possible theater seats. We have packages available for you to choose from. Customized packages are always welcome.

FunME Events/Broadway to You 650 Peace Rd., Suite A DeKalb, IL 815-756-1263 funmeevents@aol.com www.funmeevents.com/index.html We’re an international excursion and tour company for student groups, adult/family groups and the niche travel markets. Broadway shows and other unique destinations of exciting group travel along with specialized festivals and parades.

7882

8250

TIP: Visit StudentTravelDirectory.com and type in the ID code found in each supplier’s listing to unlock that company’s web page with special promotions and complete company details!

L I S T I N G

NATIONAL DIRECTORY LISTING

8989

D I R E C T O R Y

Buffets, Inc - Group Reservations 1460 Buffet Way Eagan, MN 651-365-2733 julie.diamond@buffetsinc.com www.buffet.com/groups Get your student group the best value in dining and the best variety at Old Country Buffet, Ryan’s Grill Buffet and Bakery, HomeTown Buffet, Fire Mountain Grill and Country Buffet.

With more than 500 locations nationwide, we’re always on your way.

8098

N A T I O N A L

Piccadilly Restaurants Baton Rouge, LA 800-345-5134 mls@piccadilly.com www.piccadilly.com/group_dining With our wide range of hearty entrées, sides and fresh-baked desserts, dining at Piccadilly makes everyone happy. This is why it’s the perfect choice for group dining. Remember, drivers and tour coordinators eat free with groups of 20 or more.

8064

Planet Hollywood 6052 Turkey Lake Rd., #201 Orlando, FL 407-903-5444 kmontgomery@planethollywoodintl.com www.planethollywood.com Planet Hollywood is located in Downtown Disney, adjacent to Disney’s Pleasure Island. For your next student trip to Orlando, find us for your student dining needs. Come in and take in the exciting atmosphere of Planet Hollywood.

15121

TOUR OPERATOR ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Adventures Under the Sun melida@adventuresunderthesun.com www.adventuresunderthesun.com The perfect opportunity for anyone leading a group of teenagers on an unforgettable, educational adventure in Costa Rica. We have various established itineraries you can choose from or we can customize your itinerary according to your group’s needs.

16938 studenttraveldirectory.com

Student Travel Planning Guide

49

TOUR OPERATOR Group Travel Network 442 N. Dillard St., Suite 2 Winter Garden, FL 407-347-5921 justin@grouptravelnetwork.com www.studentrips.com Group Travel Network was founded to make every chaperone, parent and student (high school, middle school & elementary school) travel experience as rewarding and stress-free as possible.

Student Discoveries by Globus 5301 S. Federal Circle Littleton, CO 800-221-0090 jhurtado@globusfamily.com www.studentdiscoveries.com For more than 80 years, Globus has been telling the stories behind the world’s most extraordinary destinations. Now, we’re bringing this experience to life for student groups through Student Discoveries, an alternative to traditional student travel.

10670

13

Peak Performance Tours 12 W. Mechanic St., Suite 3C New Hope, PA 800-220-0165 info@ppsnm.com www.peakperformancetours.com Peak Performance Tours has been helping plan everything from music tours to student travel adventures in destinations throughout North America and internationally. Benefit from our experience and focus on achieving your trip goals.

Vamonos Tours Inc. Wilmington, DE 302-345-6975 jorge@vamonostours.com www.vamonostours.com Vamonos Tours provides educational tours of Puerto Rico for students to learn the culture of the region, hone their Spanish speaking skills and sample the local cuisine.

L I S T I N G

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

16582

8295

D I R E C T O R Y

Perillo Tours 577 Chestnut Ridge Rd. Woodcliff Lake, NJ 201-505-5618 carol@perillotours.com www.perillotours.com For decades and generations, the Perillo family has perfected the art of group travel to Italy and beyond. Perillo Tours is America’s leading student group travel planner for trips to Italy and beyond.

N A T I O N A L

10682

TIP: Visit StudentTravelDirectory.com and type in the ID code found in each supplier’s listing to unlock that company’s web page with special promotions and complete company details!

50

Student Travel Planning Guide

studenttraveldirectory.com

Instant Info Center Advertiser Name

Let us help you plan BETTER STUDENT TRIPS! Request information on advertisers in this edition, or tell us about your next group trip needs and we will connect you directly with qualified destinations and facilities!

Name ___________________________________________ Title ______________________ School or Group Name ______________________________________________________ Type of Group __________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________ State _________ Zip _________________ Phone ________________ Fax _______________ Email _____________________________ REQUIRED Signature ___________________________________________ Date ___________________ REQUIRED City of Birth _______________________________________________________________

❐ ❐ ❐ ❐

Please continue to send me Student Travel Planning Guide No thanks, remove me from your list Subscribe to InSite on Student Travel E-newsletter (free of charge) (I understand you don’t sell my name or e-mail address)

Send me information on Group Hotel Discounts

Return to: Fax: 630.794.0652

❑ Adventure Aquarium, Camden, NJ ❑ Adventures Under The Sun, Costa Rica ❑ Arkansas Parks & Tourism ❑ Blue Man Productions ❑ Branson Lakes Area CVB, MO ❑ Buca di Beppo Restaurants ❑ Buffets Inc. Restaurants ❑ Burr Ridge Hotels, Burr Ridge, IL ❑ Cirque du Soleil ❑ Colonial Williamsburg, VA ❑ Colorado Springs CVB, CO ❑ Corpus Christi Area CVB, Corpus Christi, TX ❑ Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, TN ❑ Drury Lane Theatre, Oakbrook Terrace, IL ❑ Extra Holidays by Wyndham ❑ Group Sales Box Office/Broadway.com, New York, NY ❑ Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, VA ❑ Lake County CVB, IL ❑ Lewisville Area CVB, TX ❑ Loyola University Chicago, IL ❑ Mall of America, Bloomington, MN ❑ Mesa CVB, AZ ❑ Montgomery Parks, Montgomery County, MD ❑ Music Festivals To You ❑ National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD ❑ National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank, WV ❑ Navy Pier, Chicago, IL ❑ New Orleans Metro CVB, LA ❑ New Orleans Plantation Country, LaPlace, LA ❑ New York City Ballet, NY ❑ New York Water Taxi, NY ❑ Newseum, Washington D.C. ❑ Perillo Tours ❑ Piccadilly Restaurants ❑ Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, TN ❑ SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Orlando, FL ❑ Vamonos Tours Inc. ❑ Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau, WI

Please send me information on destinations in the following regions and countries: ❑ Northeast U.S. ❑ Southeast U.S. ❑ Midwest U.S. ❑ Frontier/Mountain West U.S. ❑ West Coast U.S. ❑ Canada ❑ Mexico/Caribbean ❑ Europe ❑ Asia ❑ Other (list)______________________________

Please send me more information about the following specialty student tours:

Mail: PTM Publications P.O. Box 609 Palos Heights, IL 60463

RESPOND TODAY!

Size of Group Proposed Dates (year/month)

● Fax this page to 630.794.0652 ● Visit our online Instant Info Center at www.StudentTravelDirectory.com

PHOTOS: CAMIRAND, VÉRONIQUE VIAL | COSTUMES: DOMINIQUE LEMIEUX © 2004, 2012 CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ©DISNEY CDS-12-22569

THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE.

Treat yourself to an evening like no other. Mesmerizing performances, breathtaking acrobatics, moving live music and extraordinary imagination dare to make the impossible, possible.

Exclusively at Downtown Disney® West Side at the Walt Disney World® Resort. For tickets, call 407.939.7328.

Ask about pricing options for adults and children.

Written and directed by Franco Dragone