This was the verdict of one of nine music teachers from schools and music centres across the UK, who joined us for a hugely successful familiarisation trip to Flanders at half term.

Sophie, a music teacher from a school in Surrey said: “A huge thank you to Alahree, Tom and Isabel. Music teachers very rarely ever get to spend time with each other or even meet other music teachers so the connections we made, with not just Club Europe, but with each other has proved to be so valuable. It’s made me feel much more confident about putting on our tour.

“This was a fantastic initiative by the company and I really hope you do it again to inspire other first time tour leaders.”

What made this tour so special was that the teachers had never run a school music tour before and were in Belgium not simply to experience all that it has to offer music groups but to learn how to organise their own tour.

The trip was led by Club Europe staff who were joined by a retired former head of music and font of all touring knowledge, having led tours with Club Europe for 16 years and many years before that. Needless to say our teachers were keen to pick his brains and benefit from his years of accumulated wisdom which was compacted into useful workshops.

The four-day course in Flanders encompassed everything a new party leader needed to know to get themselves started from where to start with a tour plan, the science behind deciding which destination, how and when to approach their senior leadership teams (SLTs), what SLTs are looking for as well as top tips on how to sell your tour to students and get them to sign up.

Reading music teacher Laura commented: “My objective was to establish how to run a tour and prepare for it – in terms of financing, recruitment, itinerary, risk assessments, staff/student ratios and accommodation. This objective was met. It was incredibly informative and filled in the gaps in my knowledge.

“[Club Europe] were patient, thoughtful, relaxed, highly organised and had professional reps, they were ideal.”

Our hands on approach meant that rather than being stuck in a classroom, seminars took place in a range of locations which enabled our teachers to get a practical feel for everything they learnt. Without exception they came away feeling they can boldly approach their SLT with their school music tour proposals firmly in hand and can confidently meet all the demands to get a tour approved. Two of them have already booked their tour for 2016.

What is often overlooked when deciding on which school music tour operator to use is the relationship we build with our clients.

Alahree McDonell, Senior Account Manager, who ran some of the workshops stresses how much she values this aspect of planning a tour with our clients: “The bespoke tours that we organise are a process rather than a single commodity, so the opportunity to develop relationships with teachers, something that is so important in what we do, was invaluable.

“Obviously the opportunity to spend 4 days in Belgium studying the minutia of tour planning isn’t available to everyone nor is it necessary. A 10-minute phone conversation can often be so much more useful than disparate emails snatched at 11 o’clock at night after a long day of teaching. I’d encourage anyone planning a tour to speak to an advisor and talk through your ideas.

“This tour was particularly rewarding because we were genuinely able to give something to future party leaders that was truly useful to them.”

The teachers visited venues, hostels and many of the sights: In Ghent they took a canal cruise and visited the Castle of the Counts, Gravensteen; in Bruges they went to a chocolaterie and the famous Historium; in Ostend they walked along the beach promenade and saw one of our bandstand venues; and in Ypres, they met a manager from one of our accommodation centres and enjoyed a walking history tour of the city.

We are very grateful to our supporters for helping us make this trip happen. Our thanks go to:
P&O Ferries, Fords Coaches, Vlaamse Jeugdherbergcentrale, Visit Flanders, Ghent tourism office, Historium Bruges, Watertoerist boat, St Bavo’s Cathedral, Sukerbuyc Chocolaterie, In Flanders Fields Museum and Ypres tourist office, T’Gazeke, Simon Louagie and De Draecke, Die Loyale and De Ploate.

If you would like to register your interest in the next ‘First Time Party Leader Course’ which will take place over half term October 2016, please email Lucy at Lucy.s@club-europe.co.uk.

Click on the links for more details of our Belgium school music tours, our school music tours to Flanders and all our school music tour destinations.

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