FIVE MINUTES WITH...
Courtenay Betts DIRECTOR OF OPER ATIONS – NORTH AMERICA , EF EXPLORE AMERICA | PRESIDENT, SY TA
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Edited by Sarah Suydam
Groups Today recently caught up with Courtenay Betts, Direc tor of Operations - Nor th America for EF E xplore A meric a , and outgoing S Y TA Pre s ident . B et t s b e gan her travel career while in universit y, working as a tour direc tor for a Canadian company based in Toronto — an experience that sparked a deep passion for educational travel. She joined EF in 2011 and has since built a diverse c are er acro s s b oth the company ’s C anadian and U. S . of fices. Throughout her extensive work, Betts’ focus has remained the same: delivering exceptional educational travel experiences for students.
ON CHANGES One of t he most i nterest i ng cha nges h a s b e e n t he g r o w i n g e m ph a s i s on t he educat ional outcomes of t ravel. We’ve always k now n st udent t ravel w a s t ra n sfor mat ive, but t here’s a g row i ng foc us on t y i ng t hose ex per iences to lea r n i ng objec t ives, socia lemot ional g row t h, and cultural competenc y. T he r i s e of t e c h nolog y—b ot h i n how w e operate a nd how st udents engage—has a lso sh i f ted ex pectat ions a nd possibi l it ies. Perhaps t he most dy na m ic cha nge has been t he increasing need for resi lience and ad apt a bi l it y. F r om ge op ol it ic a l s h i f t s t o g loba l pa ndem ic s, t he t ravel i ndust r y ha s had to evolve faster t han ever, and I’ve found t he oper at ion a l c reat i v it y t h at ’s emer ge d from t hat to be really inspiring. ON CHALLENGES One challenge we face is how unpredictable the operating environment has become. From weather disruptions and safet y considerations to supply chain issues and shifting regulations, cha nge is const a nt—we need to be ready to adapt in rea l t ime. We’re a lso ma nag ing
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