Trip Planning For Choirs
2011 ICDA ConferenceButler UniversityPresented by Greg Moore
Welcome!
Let’s “Talk Travel…”
Trip Planning For Choirs
Trip Planning For Choirs About Your Presenter:
♫ 26-Year Veteran of Performance Group Travel♫ Planned Tours & Accompanied Groups to Various
Domestic & International Destinations♫ Traveled to all 50 United States, all 10 Canadian
Provinces, and nearly 30 Countries♫ Participated in Various Bands & Performance
Groups throughout High School & College♫ Reside in Fishers, Indiana with wife, Kelly, and
four children – all students of music education
Trip Planning For Choirs About Your Presenter:
♫ Graduate of Indiana University with B.A. in Germanic Studies
♫ President of Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) 2002 – 2003
♫ Senior Sales Manager for MusicAmerica and the WorldPass Travel Group
Why Travel with your Choir?♫ Give them the Opportunity to Perform their Craft
in front of a New/Different Audience♫ Travel will Broaden their Horizons
♫Experience New Cultures – Domestic or International♫Break down Barriers – Eliminate Stereotypes
♫ Allows for Greater Bonding within Group
Is it a lot of Work to Plan a Trip?♫ Getting Organized and obtaining the proper
assistance will certainly help, but it is rewarding!
Trip Planning For Choirs
What To Consider:
♫ Performance♫ What do you as the director need to get from it?
What do the students need to get?♫ Destination♫ Time of Year
♫Approved Time Off from School?♫Spring Break vs. Fall Break vs. A Three-Day Weekend vs. …
♫ Budget $$$♫Determine what is realistic – know what the group’s
limitations are
Trip Planning For Choirs
Performance
♫ Formal or Informal?♫ Festival or Non-Festival?♫ Competitive or Non-Competitive?♫ Single or Multiple?♫ Performance can also determine Destination
Trip Planning For Choirs
Performance – “Informal”
Trip Planning For Choirs
Performance – “Formal”
♫ Concert Halls♫Carnegie Hall♫Lincoln Center♫Kennedy Center
♫ Churches & Cathedrals♫Washington National Cathedral♫St. John the Divine – New York
Trip Planning For Choirs
Performance – “Festivals”
Trip Planning For Choirs
Performance…and then there’s “Disney!”
Trip Planning For Choirs
Destination – Domestic
Trip Planning For Choirs
Destination – International
Trip Planning For Choirs
Searching for a Tour Operator But wait, do I really need one???
♫ Yes, unless you have unlimited hours of free time…♫ Will save you Time♫ Can even save you Money♫ But I thought they are more expensive!♫ Can provide Liability Coverage & Insurance Options♫ Experts in the Field…♫ You don’t allow just any teacher to teach choir, why would
you allow just anyone to plan your travel?
Trip Planning For Choirs
Searching for a Tour Operator How Do I Find One??
♫ Call a Colleague or Friend…Who do they travel with and why?
♫ Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA)“The Voice Of Student & Youth Travel”www.syta.comSYTA is to the Student Tour Operator what MENC & ACDA are to the Choir Director…
Trip Planning For Choirs
Searching for a Tour Operator
♫ Call Me…
Trip Planning For Choirs
What’s Next?
You’ve Determined your Desired Budget You’ve selected a Destination and/or
Performance Venue You’ve Determined which Group of Students
the trip is for… You’ve selected a Tour Operator
Time To Get Organized!
Trip Planning For Choirs
Getting Organized:
Request Your Tour Proposal Be Specific: State the anticipated number of tour
participants, number of director packages required, number and type of meals, etc.
Special Services Needed? Private Security Guard(s) @ Hotel Individual Payment Program Optional Travel Insurance Plan(s)
Trip Planning For Choirs
Getting Organized:
♫ Getting Administrative Approval♫ Consider an “In-House Trip Coordinator”♫ Fundraising???♫ Determine a Deposit Due Date & Payment Schedule♫ Review Cancellation Policy and Non-Refundability Issues♫ Set a Meeting with Tour Operator and Trip Coordinator♫ Set a Meeting with Tour Operator, Parents & Students
(also arrange a mandatory pre-trip meeting with all tour participants, chaperones, parents, & staff approx 1 – 2 weeks prior to departure)
♫ Communicate! ...with Students, Parents, Tour Operator
Trip Planning For Choirs
Questions?
? ? ? Thank You! ♫ Performance Group Travel is Rewarding…
♫ Thanks to ICDA…
Trip Planning For Choirs
Greg Moore – Contact Info
Greg Moore, Senior Sales Manager800.553.4723 – x 147317.432.6636 – cell
Trip Planning For Choirs
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