“The Whole Truth & Nothing But the Truth”
There is an old adage that says, “Never over-promise or under-deliver”. As a trip planner, you must be vigilant about the promises made by school travel companies. Not all are as transparent as they seem. Here are some common things they might not be entirely clear about.
1. Misleading Medical Support
Health and safety should be paramount on any school trip, but some companies might not be forthright about their medical provisions:
- Doctor Availability: Certain tour operators promote and promise an “on-call” call doctor, leading you to believe that a doctor will come to your hotel room if necessary. However, there was a tragic incident in 2018 where a student lost his life during a trip. There was no doctor provided by the tour company, but rather a physician assistant who never examined the student. Despite the loss of life and the $5,000,000 civil judgment, the promotion of this service remains on the website.
- Student Adventures provides you with all the options for where to seek emergency care by providing urgent care facilities and hospitals for any trip to DC. We encourage all trip sponsors to seek immediate medical attention from trained professionals. We also provide a 24-hour emergency line that any participant can call a Student Adventures employee will answer ready to help you with how best to proceed.
2. What Can Be Done About Escalating Prices?
- Many travel companies claim to leverage their “buying power” to get the best deals for your trip, but the truth is all vendors provide the same group rates to all tour operators.
- Many of our competitors use “35 paying” as the minimum even though the bus seats 56 people when most schools provide 40 or more…
- Student Adventures looks closely at your school’s history to set that minimum.
- Your % of how many students go on the trip compared to the class size.
- Your enrollment trends to know if your total students on the trip will increase or decrease in the years to come.
- Utilize waitlists or limiting the number of parents so we can fill buses.
- We also take a close look at your itinerary and offer suggestions if you are looking to keep costs down.
- Less expensive “fun” activities than what you may have done in the past.
- Provide hotel options that fit your budget and needs.
- Alter the length of the trip.
3. Hidden Costs
Some travel companies try to win on price and others boast of “all-inclusive” packages. As always, the devil is in the details.
- Meals: The exclusion of a meal or not disclosing what type of meal (voucher, cash allowance, or sit down restaurant) are intentionally not named in the competitor’s quoted itinerary in order for them to determine themselves what is provided on the actual trip.
- Hotel: Similar to the meals, many tour operators do NOT provide the name & location of your hotel until shortly before your trip. This is done intentionally so they can realize greater profits or cut corners.
- Activities: Close examination reveals the subtle differences when comparing quotes. a There is a major difference between a walking tour of the Capitol grounds versus going inside for a guided tour. Same is true for visiting Arlington Cemetery to watch other schools lay a wreath, but you do not. Do you want to inside for a tour or just look at the outside of the Holocaust Museum or Ford’s Theatre?
- Gratuities: Tips for guides and drivers can add up quickly and are not always included in the quoted price.
Student Adventures provides the itinerary with all its stops. We detail the meals included, name the bus company providing the transportation, and the specific hotel when you receive your quote.
While the order may not be exactly the same, everything that was promised will be included on your final itinerary. We book tours of the Capitol, secure the appointment and even order the wreath in school colors for the Tomb of the Unknown, and all the tickets for the attractions listed.
4. Accommodation Quality
- Location: How far from the city is the hotel, and was it chosen with the rest of your itinerary in mind?
- Standards: Budget accommodations might mean a compromise on cleanliness, service, or comfort.
- Room Sharing: As students typically stay 4 to a room, are double/queen size beds secured or will some of your students sleep in pull-out sofa sleepers?
5. Transportation Logistics
We see a lot of competitors’ itineraries and shake our heads at the poor planning. Student Adventures wants to maximize your students’ “once in a lifetime” experience.
- Bus Companies: Many of our competitors wait until winter to contract buses for spring trips, which means you get what is left over. Student Adventures secures the bus when we start your quote. We know the bus companies that have an excellent reputation and are members of the American Bus Association (ABA). We inspect their facilities, know they service their fleet of motorcoaches, and even request drivers by name who we have built strong relationships with over many years.
- Long Travel Times: How an itinerary is built can make all the difference. Student Adventures makes sure we cut down travel times avoiding going in and out of the city. We group together the attractions that make sense geographically and can often work in an extra stop because of the time that was saved.
- Unrealistic Itineraries: Some trip sponsors want to do everything, and their tour operators will accommodate this by creating jam-packed itineraries. We understand you do not want downtime, and you want your students to experience all that is offered. However, nothing is worse than a plan that is impossible to execute. You never know what activity is the reason someone paid for their student to go on the trip and the frustration that comes when that activity is skipped because there was not enough time.
6. Safety Protocols
Student safety is paramount, but not all companies prioritize it equally:
- Emergency Plans: Inquire about their specific protocols for emergencies, such as evacuations of the city and where to meet should that happen. Also, how are medical issues, lost students, and bus breakdowns handled? We do!
- Nighttime Security: Any tour operator with their salt will book overnight security for the hotel, usually one for each floor. These unarmed guards are positioned in the hallways throughout the night and provide a report to the trip sponsor of all activities that occurred. These guards ensure the students remain in their rooms, the noise level stays low, and contact the trip sponsor if there are any issues. We do!
- Insurance Coverages: Does your tour operator provide proof of their general liability coverage, and offer to name your school/district as co-insured on the insurance certificates for the bus company or hotel? We do!
- Medical Reimbursement: Does your tour operator provide every participant reimbursement for any out of pocket medical expenses that occur during the trip? We do!
7. Tour Escorts/Directors & Licensed Local Guides
- Tour Escorts/Directors: Typically, this person boards the bus at your school and travels with you from start to finish. Their role is to facilitate the logistics of the trip, work with you to make adjustments to the itinerary when necessary, dispense cash allowances or vouchers for meals, troubleshoot any issues, and communicate with everyone about meeting times, locations, etc.
Student Adventures is one of the very few companies that provide a tour director. This is an invaluable service that makes your life as a trip sponsor much simpler.
- Licensed Guides: These are trained professionals who live in the city and have been trained to provide historical details about all the sites. There is a guide for each bus who leads your tour and their day ends when you return to the hotel.
- Hotel Greeters: Some companies provide an “on site coordinator”. This person greets you when you arrive at the hotel to hand you all the room keys. He/She also confirms breakfast time & location and greets overnight security.
Student Adventures provides a hotel greeter for any group of 3 buses or more and makes one available upon request for smaller groups.
- 2-In-1: Most companies have their guides double as tour directors meeting you when you arrive at the destination. While there is a cost savings in this, you are on your own should there be bus breakdowns or any issues that arise to and from the destination.
Conclusion
When planning a Washington D.C. trip for your students, knowledge is power. Ask the tough questions and read the fine print. Your diligence will ensure that your trip is as smooth, educational, and enjoyable as possible for your students.
At Student Adventures, we pride ourselves on transparency and delivering what we promise. Give us the opportunity to quote your trip and we will provide you the trip you want at a price your community can afford.