We love walking alongside directors who are traveling with their students for the very first time. The excitement of planning that first trip never gets old!
At the same time, as a first-time traveler, you’re probably full of questions – and, perhaps, a little anxiety. That’s totally understandable! Student travel is no small undertaking, but at Bob Rogers Travel, we’re here to make it simple and seamless for you.
When it comes to planning your first performance travel trip, here are some suggestions that will save you time, money and stress:
Choose a Destination and Itinerary That Will Generate Excitement
Get your first trip off on the good foot by choosing a destination that creates instant excitement, so your students can’t wait to sign up. But remember: “Exciting” is not the same as “extravagant” or “far-flung.” Your ideal destination may be closer than you think!
If you need some inspiration, our top five destinations are a great place to start. But we’ve also taken school groups to all 50 states and over 30 countries. Every group is different – that’s why our team will work closely with you to find the perfect destination for your group’s unique needs, goals and travel dreams.
And that brings us to another point: Students will look forward not just to where you’re going, but what you’ll do once you get there. There are dozens of ways to customize your perfect itinerary – and that’s yet another reason we get to know you well before we start building your trip.
Keep It Simple
On your first trip, you may be tempted to pack in as many activities as possible. But we’ve found that it’s best to keep things simple.
Focus on experiencing the most important attractions and performance opportunities. Your students will love them, and you’ll breathe easier. (Trust us!) Our expert planners will craft an itinerary for you that strikes the perfect balance.
Give Yourself Plenty of Planning Time
The standard rule of thumb is to allow at least 12 months of from the trip kick-off to the departure date. But for first-time travelers, we recommend 15 months – if your group wants to travel next April, it’s best to get the ball rolling no later than this January.
There are many moving parts when it comes to a successful trip. And while we take as many of those off your plate as we possibly can, things like administrative approval, parent meetings and fundraising take time. The more time you allow yourself, the more seamless the process will feel.
Assemble Your Support Team
Trying to do everything on your own – while juggling all your other responsibilities as an educator – can be overwhelming for a veteran, let alone a first-time traveler. You don’t have to do it all yourself!
Your travel planner is there to handle all the details and logistics of the planning process. But having trusted parents, colleagues and chaperones in your corner is a game-changer. By collaborating with them on decisions and delegating tasks, you can focus more on the music and worry less about logistics.
Understand Your Options for Payments, Fundraising, and Trip Donations
Some of the most common questions we get from first-time travelers are about paying for the trip itself. We believe that paying for travel should never feel overwhelming, so we built our BRT Payments system from the ground up to make managing and tracking payments easy for you.
When it comes to fundraising, we’ve worked closely with groups of every shape and size and are ready to share the tips and strategies that work. And every BRT traveler has access to Trip Donations by BRT Payments, our innovative crowdfunding platform that allows friends and family to donate to a student’s trip – reducing the total fundraising burden and making it possible for more students to travel.
Take Advantage of Our Lessons Learned
With over 10,000 trips planned in our 45 years of working with students, we’ve navigated every challenge you can think of – and we want to share that knowledge with you! If you’re dreaming of an amazing travel experience for your students, we’d love to dream with you. To learn more about the possibilities for your program, reach out today – we’re excited to answer your questions and help you get started!
