Should you plan a school trip abroad and how to make group travel easier?
When planning a school trip, the first important step is choosing the perfect destination.
Sure, you can visit the local castle and ruins again for the 15th time, or you can hop over county lines to view the superb scenery and spend some time outdoors.
But if you’re hoping to plan a school trip that is genuinely exciting, enticing and a great learning opportunity for students, you might be considering a trip abroad.
Going further afield certainly has its benefits, though it also requires more planning in terms of group travel arrangements and, in particular, booking group flights.
That’s why we’ve created this guide. Below, we’re going to take a look at whether a school trip abroad is right for you and your pupils and some simple ways to make group travel planning easier.
The benefits of planning a school trip abroad
There are many great reasons to consider taking your students abroad. Aside from the obvious - that it can be much more exciting than visiting the same local attractions year after year - some of the other key benefits include:
Educational value - You can enhance your student’s learning through new and exciting real-world experiences. What’s more, students will have the chance to see historical sites, artefacts and places that they cannot access at home, giving them lots more opportunities to learn
Cultural exposure - Going abroad encourages students to appreciate different cultures. This can be especially great when studying subjects like language, religion or history
Team building - Going abroad and experiencing new people and places can help to strengthen friendships and can also equip students with new transferable skills
Personal growth - As well as team building, these trips also enable students to develop their independence and adaptability so they can get to know more about themselves
Booking group travel abroad has its challenges
Despite its many benefits, planning a school trip abroad is not without its challenges, and before you book your tickets, you need to consider budget constraints. You’ll need to determine if you have the budget to go abroad, as this can often be more expensive than a residential trip. This could require extra fundraising or bigger contributions from the students.
Not only this, but you have to think about safety concerns as you’ll have to take extra precautions and ensure effective safety procedures are in place when taking students abroad.
Then you have the logistical complexity to contend with. Leaving the country requires visas, additional permission and more detailed itineraries, so it is often tougher to plan these experiences.
How can you make group travel easier?
Just because you might face these additional, albeit small, challenges, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan these exciting trips for your students. With some simple steps, you can make planning group travel much more straightforward.
Start planning early – It’s a good idea to start planning your trip at least a year in advance to give you plenty of time to choose a destination before arranging group flights, accommodation and relevant paperwork
Set your budget – Add up the rough costs of transportation, meals, insurance and emergency funds to come up with an accurate budget for the trip
Choose a reliable group travel company – Look for agencies that specialise in booking educational trips, especially flight specialists that can make booking group flights much easier
Organise fundraising activities if required – If you want to reduce costs for students, you might wish to arrange fundraising activities early on in the planning process
Create a detailed itinerary – Keep a structured schedule while allowing flexibility and downtime. Do some research to choose the most interesting tours, fun activities and most impressive hotspots to visit
Assign chaperones and group leaders – In order to ensure each student has proper supervision, it’s a good idea to secure chaperones and group leaders early on in the planning to ensure you have enough volunteers to make the trip run smoothly
Use technology to your advantage – Apps like Google, Tripadvisor and WhatsApp groups can help with coordination and make planning your trip simpler
In addition to taking these key steps, we recommend working with flight consolidators and specialists like BTG Travel Management.
So, if you need help choosing an exciting destination and booking group flights for your next school trip, you’re in the right place. Get in touch with our team today for the best deals and expert advice.