School Travel Forum advise teachers not to ‘go it alone’

  • Nov 03, 2014

A recent School Travel Forum (STF) survey has found that 22 per cent of teachers organise their own school travel tour.

However, the report said, “our survey showed a very low knowledge of important regulations and beneficial approval schemes.

“The greatest benefit of using a bona fide tour operator is the financial protection that comes with buying your trip as a package. That does not mean you have to get something that does not suit your needs; packages can be completely tailor-made from scratch, the main stipulation being that the elements are to be purchased together.

“Travel booked as separate elements does not enjoy that protection. With a school trip costing in the thousands of pounds and the potential for minor or major disruption of plans, protection of the funds entrusted by the parents to the school and meeting the expectations of all are essential considerations.”

The STF’s report also stressed the protection school travel companies can give if things go wrong, saying it is hard for individuals to get compensation or redress from an overseas party.

The report concludes that teachers’ time is better spent concentrating on ensuring the educational outcome of the trip is a success, contracting the rest out to other experts.

Click on the links for details of our school travel tours and for more details of the School Travel Forum.

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