Educational Tours - Making the Right Call

After the Labor Day Holiday, all schools across the nation get into full gear. Classes begin with new optimism as students file into meet their new teachers, gather a fresh supply of books, and start doing homework(hopefully).

With the start of the new school year comes the need to search for a new educational tour destination. Many schools opt for the usual spots-Washington DC, New York City, Boston, Chicago, and others. Still other schools look for something a little different. They go for the national park/historical site scene by planning trips to great places like the Grand Canyon, the Williamsburg area, Acadia, or others.

Regardless of which way a school goes, they need to make sure that they are adequately prepared either to do things on their own or go through a company. This is where it is important to do homework.

Doing it on your own can save money, not much, but some. However there are a few issues that a school needs to be ready for. Not only do they have to spend a ton of time setting up all of the arrangements, but they have to do all of the accounting, pay all of the bills, create a workable itinerary, finish all of the proper paperwork, and many other things. However, one of the most-often overlooked items is liability insurance. Most schools do not want to be responsible for any potential issues which could lead to a lawsuit. And, liability insurance is not that easy to come by. Its a big problem.

One of the biggest laughs is when a group contacts a travel agent. Travel agents do not set up educational tours. They can, but they are not covered by the proper insurance and they are not normally trained to make all of the little arrangements they need in order for a trip to go smoothly. In fact, travel agents normally contact a company and have them do the work and act as a middleman-sometimes a cumbersome arrangement.

The best way is to go through a company. This can cost a little more, but then they do all of the work. However, before grabbing the first company that presents itself, more homework is in order. Does the company treat you like you deserve? Or, are they only interested in the sale? Do they have the proper insurance (most normally do) and do they belong to organizations like the ABA (buses), CLIA (cruises), NTA (tour operators), SYTA (youth tour operators) and the BBB (Better Business Bureau). Do they have references? and, are they willing to customize for what you want? Some companies think they know what you need. This is arrogance and it should be avoided at all costs.

Many times the larger companies and the smallest companies are the ones to avoid. The larger ones because they overcharge for things you don't need like slick brochures. I have seen the largest companies charge as much as $400 more than a medium-sized company for the exact same services. At the same time, a small company may have only been in business for a short time. What is their experience level? Do they have the coverages they need? Do they have an office or are they working in a basement or garage somewhere? They may have low prices, but what is their service like? What is their experience like in times of crises? These are questions to ask that will keep a group out of getting caught up in a nightmare.

There are many ways a school can go, just make sure the homework is done-and GRADED!