Student Travel
Welcome To The World of Educational Student Travel!
Since our company’s founding in 1974 we have been providing school systems and student groups the very best in high-quality, value-oriented trips and tours. We specialize in customizing programs specifically to the needs and wants of the individual group, whether large or small. Whether you are the U.S. History Teacher, the Foreign Language Teacher, the School Band Teacher, or the Athletic Director we have the very best tours in the industry for your students.
WHAT SEPARATES US FROM THE REST OF THE PACK
Customize, Customize, Customize
One of the biggest challenges we hear from educators is that most student tours are simple cookie-cutter programs that don’t really provide any educational experience. Educators want the ability to customize a program to their curriculum. We will take the time to meet with you and design a travel program that is an extension of your curriculum. We take a consultative approach with our educators to make sure we are providing the tour you are looking for, and at an unmatched value. We customize our itineraries to meet the specific needs of Middle School, High School, and College Students as the needs of these students differs. In keeping with the tour to classroom curriculum concept, we also customize the itineraries to match general education versus Honor/Advanced Placement student tours. We utilize our 45 years of operating trips to handle all logistics of the trip and guide you through the process of creating a magnificent program.
Your Tour is an Extension of the Classroom
We have always held the belief that your student tour is an extension of the classroom. Think of us a mobile classroom, as our tours are not just recreational in nature but are a substantive learning experience that has been customized specifically for you and your students. That is what truly separates us from other tour companies and why our programs are known as Student Development Tours. We believe that learning through experience is one of the best ways for students to gain new perspectives on life and build skills for the future. Allowing students the ability to experience the world around them, to experience new cultures and places, to discover who they are, and grow more confident and independent are essential components of our travel programs. We look to work with the teacher to engage the students before, during, and after their tour to create the best educational tour experience possible.
Quality and Value
We realize that student tours are an expense to the parent. Raising a student is an expensive endeavor and we work extensively with you to develop a program that meets the financial capabilities of your community. Just like no two people are alike, neither is every school system. We make sure we provide high quality components in your trip at a very economical price. We use our leverage of operating hundreds of trips a year to obtain the best pricing possible. Through experience we have learned that for many student tours they wish to have every meal included in their program and unlike most, we’re able to make that happen. We believe in the old saying “you get what you pay for”, and we make sure we provide you the very best quality, very best experience, very best service, at a price your families can afford.
Big or Small – We’ve Got You Covered
Whether you’re a student group that plans to travel with just 20 students or you operate a program with a few hundred students we’ve got you covered. For over 45 years we have been operating trips and are extremely experienced in managing large groups. We’ve handled all of the logistics and operations of many trips that incorporate more than 3,000 people in attendance. But don’t worry, we provide equal attention and caring to groups of all sizes.
Safety
The safety and security of your students is one of our top priorities. All of our student programs include an experienced Tour Director who supports you 24/7 and knows the in’s and out’s of every destination on your itinerary. Our Tour Directors are seasoned professionals, have undergone extensive training, and in many circumstances are former educators. Our Tour Directors are equipped to manage challenging situations while on the road, and have direct access to our Best of Times Travel office for additional assistance if needed. As part of our commitment to student safety, we provide professional overnight security in the hotel, and perform standard inspections of our travel partners/suppliers. We also conduct criminal background checks on the Tour Directors and all adult travelers (such as parents and chaperones) that join your group. We also offer all of our student groups the ability to purchase Traveler’s Insurance through our partner, Chubb Travel Protection, in order to cover any issues before or during the tour. And of course, you, your students, their parents and your administrators can reach us, if anything comes up before or while your group is out on tour.
Peace of Mind
In today’s world there’s nothing more valuable than peace of mind. Not only do we carry our Corporate Liability Insurance that protects all of our customers, but we also provide all of our student tours the ability to offer Personal Travelers Insurance for all students. This gives you, your administration, and your parents peace of mind that the student is protected from the moment they register for the trip. We work with Chubb Travel Insurance to provide a package that includes Pre-Departure protection, Trip Interruption protection, Trip Delay protection, Medical Expense Coverage, Luggage Coverage, and Assistance Services while traveling. We never want anyone worried about their student while out on tour.
Advertising and Promotion
It’s one thing to plan a trip, but if it doesn’t look appealing, it’s hard to get people to sign up. That’s why once we have finished the process of planning and setting up your tour we will create professional customized flyers for you to begin promoting the trip. We also provide a private and special on-line booking engine for your group that even allows friends and family to donate to the students trip. Our staff is also available to provide informational presentations for parents, students, and your staff to assist in not only selling the program but assisting in the registration process.
ATTENTION MUSIC TEACHERS & BAND LEADERS – YOUR # 1 SOURCE FOR MUSIC GROUP TRAVEL IS BEST OF TIMES TRAVEL
Best of Times Travel is Your Number One Source for Musical Group/Band Travels. We undertand the unique travel needs of musical groups. Unlike other tours, you have to account for extra items such as oversized musical instruments and band uniforms. This and so many additional items add a complex layer of travel that only Best of Times Travel understands. We take a unique solution-based approach with musical groups that travel all across the country. That is why we partner with both Music in the Parks and Festivals of Music programs to provide a plethora of available travel destinations creating a musical experience that best fits the needs of your school. Participating in a music festival should not be just about performing. It should also be about the destination itself. We make sure that when we develop a touring program that it includes the major sights of where you are traveling as well as incorporating the musical festival. Tired of traveling to the same location with your group. Call Best of Times Travel and let us work with you to create a fantastic program that students, parents, administration, and you will enjoy.
Give us a call us at 800-343-8999, or email rtreat@bestoftimestravel.com, to start planning your student trip.
