The Student and Youth Travel Association SYTA

1
Presenter Tasha Van Rybroeck SYTA Ambassador

• The Student and Youth Travel Association (SYTA)
• WWW.SYTA.ORG

2
OMEA Conference 2007Trillium

• The Amazing Race
• Music Tour Planning 101

3
SYTA The Voice of Student Youth Travel

• As the non-profit, professional trade association
  that represents the interests of student and
  youth travel, SYTA works to set standards and to
  help students, parents and educators experience
  the social and educational value of travel.
• SYTA creates business opportunities for its
  members and brings them together to help develop
  a better environment for students and youth.

4
A Mission

• SYTA is dedicated to promoting and supporting
  integrity and professionalism among student and
  youth travel service providers and to promote
  quality student/youth travel services that
  enhance social, cultural, and educational
  growth.

5
SYTA Membership

• SYTA members are tour operators and supplier
  organizations, such as hotels, restaurants,
  attractions, airlines and destination marketing
  companies that are committed to professionalism
  and integrity in student/youth travel. All member
  organizations must meet strict membership
  criteria and adhere to SYTAs Purposes and Goals
  and its Code of Ethics.

6
Strength in Numbers

• Since its founding in 1997, SYTA has rapidly
  grown from 25 charter members to over 600
  members, enjoys one of the highest membership
  renewal rates and today serves over 1.5 million
  youth travelers representing over 20 percent of
  North American travel expenditures.

7
Travel Itself is an Education

• Travel brings the classroom curriculum alive,
  inspiring students to learn through first-hand,
  interactive experiences.
• Travel provides performing students the chance to
  work with clinicians and experience performance
  opportunities.
• Travel motivates students to achieve and improves
  academic performance.
• Travel teaches understanding of other people,
  communities and cultures.

8
A Positive Travel Experience is an Effective
Educational Tool for Teachers

• It provides a specific goal for department
  efforts.
• It builds program pride and loyalty.
• It reinforces curriculum objectives through
  hands-on activities.
• It develops credibility and attraction for the
  program.

9
An Educational Travel Program is an Asset for
School Districts, Boards and Administrators

• It reinforces curriculum goals and objectives.
• It develops a sense of pride in the department,
  school and ultimately the district.
• It promotes cooperative efforts between
  departments and/or schools within the district.
• It increases credibility and attraction for the
  program.
• It provides incentive for teachers and students.

10
Travel is Essential to a Complete Education

• Travel for young people is an exciting, memorable
  and enlightening experience.
• Students are inspired to learn as hands-on
  interaction brings their lessons to life.
• And for young musicians, nothing compares to the
  experience of performing with peers in an
  exciting new venue while using their musical
  skills to provide enjoyment to others.

11
What to Consider Before Planning Your Trip

• Legal Responsibilities
• Choosing a Professional Tour Operator
• Destination
• Travel Dates
• The Cost of Your Tour
• Itinerary Inclusions
• Application to the School Board

12
What to Consider Before Planning Your Trip cont

• Payments and Payment Schedule
• Fundraising
• Packing Your Equipment
• Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
• Insurance Coverage

13
Trip Planning Step by Step
NOTE This time line is intended for short tours
of up to 5 or 6 days in duration within Canada
and the U.S.A. For Longer tours and tours abroad,
it is customary to begin planning almost two
years in advance.

• May/June of the Previous Year
• Discuss destination options
• Obtain sample itineraries and costs
• Reserve travel dates
• Communicate with your group board

14
Trip Planning Step by Step

• September
• Meet with Group to confirm destination and
  discuss fundraising
• Have your draft itinerary and ballpark cost
  ready
• Know your payment schedule and amounts
• Start practicing your repertoire!!
• Submit an application to the school board for
  trip approval

15
Trip Planning Step by Step

• October/November
• Meet with parents to provide an overview
• Discuss insurance coverage
• Hand out Permission to Go form requesting
  signatures and a deposit
• Collect the deposit (first payment)
• Inform parents of payment schedule)

16
Trip Planning Step by Step

• January
• Confirm your numbers and chaperone list
• Have students complete any official
  documentsPermission to Go, Medical Form,
  Pledge of Conduct, etc.
• Collect student info complete address, phone
  numbers, passport/identification, instrument
  played, instrument make, model serial number
• Collect second payment
• Practice, practice, practice!!

17
Trip Planning Step by Step

• Two months prior to departure
• Create a bus seating plan
• Create hotel rooming list
• Collect third and final payments
• Practice, practice, practice!!

18
Trip Planning Step by Step

• One month prior to departure
• Contact Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (if you
  are traveling out of country)
• Organize assign student responsibilities
• Organize assign chaperone responsibilities and
  expectations
• Prepare a Student Booklet
• Prepare a Parent Booklet
• Prepare a Chaperone Booklet

19
Trip Planning Step by Step

• One -Two weeks prior to departure
• Conduct a mandatory student/parent meeting to do
  a trip overview
• Hand out student, parent and chaperone booklets,
  hand out luggage tags
• Review deportment and code of conduct
• Answer questions
• Invite your tour representative to be present
• BON VOYAGE!

20
Help from SYTA

• WWW.SYTA.ORG serves as the information gateway
  for student trip planners providing travel safety
  tips, trip planning guides, SYTA member listing
  and links to other important travel-related
  sites.
• Published quarterly, SYTAs Student Youth
  Traveler Magazine covers destinations and
  attractions of interest, provides updates on
  education, performance, summer activities,
  graduation celebration, sports and international
  travel and success stories from student tour
  planners.
• Free brochures offer travel safety tips and
  information on planning student trips.

21
Travel Safety Tips
SYTA offers the Travel Safety Tips brochure to
help students prepare for their trip. It offers
travel guidelines, reminders about safety and
questions parents should ask to help avoid many
possible problems. A free downloadable PDF of
this brochure is available at www.syta.org
22
Trip Planning Guide

• SYTAs Trip Planning Guide offers advice on...
• What makes planning a student trip special?
• How do I protect my group?
• Why should I use a professional tour operator?

23
Giving

• The SYTA Youth Foundation (SYF) is the
  philanthropic sister organization of SYTA and was
  formed in the year 2000.
• www.sytayouthfoundation.org
• The SYF develops programs that Give Something
  Back to youth by creating ongoing awareness and
  assistance programs that emphasize the value of
  travel as an educational opportunity for children
  and young adults.

24
SYTA Membership is the Stamp of Excellencein
the Student Youth Travel IndustryWWW.SYTA.ORG