At CTC we're passionate about history, language, culture... and educational travel. The thrill of traveling to new and exciting destinations, living among people of other cultures and languages, and musing over the architectural wonders of the world is why we got into this business! After 50 years at it, you have to think that we must be doing something right! I mean isn't that what travel is all about education...OK, so there is also a lot of excitement rolled in here too, but the educational benefits of travel are extensive.

When you choose a Collins Tours and Consulting Educational Tour, we work closely with you every step of the way. Our goal is to work with you to create a customized itinerary that will deliver a creative and quality educational experience that incorporates your ideas and goals into each day of the trip. From planning and pre-departure preparation to our on-tour group management, the focus is on YOU. So whether you want to explore the world or focus on a single city, we can put together a tour that will express your educational goals.

In the following sections we have outlined CTC's Educational Tours program. Here we answer basic questions, such as the typical tours we offer, the types of groups we market to, the general time line for planning an educational tour, and the basic steps involved in ensuring your program is a success.

GROUP DYNAMICS

We welcome groups from any organization planning an educational tour, including school and university classes, corporate organizations, and special interest groups (e.g. garden or art clubs).

TOUR DESIGN

We offer an exciting array of educational tours. Maybe you are looking for a tour that emphasizes art, or maybe history, language, theater, theology, science or music...the list is endless. Request a tour with a unique itinerary or select an educational tour from one of our exciting customized programs, including the History, Culture, and Language of Quebec City and the New York City - Broadway Experience

GREAT PRICES…GREAT VALUE

We offer tours with competitive prices, proven programs, and guaranteed value. We allow you to choose the package options that are right for your group and budget demands so that you end up with an excellent tour that encompasses the appropriate level of accommodations, meal options, and type and number of activities.

PROFESSIONAL PLANNING

 Timing is everything and we guarantee that we will get back to you with a price quote within a week. Ideally you would want to start planning your educational tour up to a year in advance, especially if you are traveling during a peak season or trying to hit early booking incentives. But nothing is impossible so even a months' notice can still give us enough time to pull things together.

 

FOLLOW OUR CHECKLIST

Use our handy planning checklist to ensure that we know exactly what you expect during your group's tour. And if there is something special that you would like to include (e.g. visit to a private gallery or studio, hands-on workshops) then just ask! This is your tour and we want you to enjoy it.  Our tour planning checklist will also help you stay on track with your planning and payment collections.

WE OPERATE SAFE AND INSURED MOTORCOACHES

Our tours utilize European-style motorcoaches that are safe and comfortable. Don't be fooled by lower priced tours that include equipment that is substandard. While newer coaches cost more, we believe that your group would rather go in style and arrive safely than save a few dollars.  We also are careful to ensure that our motorcoach company is properly insured.

CHOICE OF ACCOMMODATIONS

We select accommodations options on the basis of their historic location, special atmosphere, amenities, and reputation for providing quality service. But remember, it's your tour and your budget so your needs are always our first concern. If a hotel in downtown Quebec City is too expensive, then perhaps a quality property out in Saint-Foy may work for you, even if you have to drive a little you can save this way. Just let us know your budget limitations and we will secure the right accommodations for you.

ITINERARIES DESIGNED BY PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS

All our educational tours are planned and designed with the assistance of an experienced university instructor and certified teacher. This way, we can ensure that your itinerary is designed to reflect any specific curriculum needs you might want to focus on.

GO AT THE RIGHT PACE

We pace our tours to accommodate the age and abilities of your group. Tour pace is a very important part of a successful tour. Beware of packing too much into your day with the idea that a busy schedule will keep the group moving (and out of trouble!). Ideally, two or three activities a day works well. Also, plan on at least two consecutive overnights in one place to ensure that your group has enough free time and energy to enjoy each location fully. Free time is usually less than two hours and is spent in small groups. Also, 13 and 14-year-olds are not always interested in the same things as high school students. We can help you choose the amount of time to spend at each attraction that is sure to motivate your group no matter what age they are.

CHOOSE YOUR MEAL PLAN

Our tours generally include breakfast and dinner daily, but you may prefer to include only dinners and leave your group more opportunity to sample the local fare. Just let us know how you want the meals designed and we will do the work for you.  We can guarantee that the dining options we include in our tour packages are top notch!

MARKETING ASSISTANCE

We can help you successfully market, promote, and organize your program to ensure the success of your tour. You can recruit via posters at your organization, send emails to members of your group, or even send a postcard to personally "invite" people to join the tour. After a few key people are on board they tend to do some of the marketing for you. Raffles can be another way to encourage people to refer their friends to come along. We can also help you find key pictures and information to further enhance your marketing campaign.

WE KEEP YOU INFORMED

We offer all our clients 24-hour customer service before and during your trip. Call us anytime with program or billing questions. This also means that family members and friends can be kept informed and up-to-date on the latest program details. Another valuable marketing asset.

WE KEEP YOUR ORGANIZED

We can help you put together registration packets to send to tour members and their families, explaining how Collins Tours and Consulting operate their educational tours, the specifics of the program they have selected, menu choices that may need to be decided on in advance, and contact information in case someone needs to contact a tour member. We will help you create a time line to keep your program running smoothly, including selecting deadlines for booking the tour, submitting the rooming lists and chaperone names for you, and announcing final payment deadlines reminders. 

WE CAN ASSIST YOU WITH FINANCIAL DETAILS

We can also assist you with some of the financial aspects of an educational tour, including mailing all invoices and payment receipts directly to participants or their families.  In 2011 we added the additional service of hosting 2-3 trip nights at your school or club so that people can come with payments and questions and leave the teachers out this aspect of your educational tour planning.