How long have you worked for Explorica? What do you do at Explorica?
I started at Explorica in July of 2004 so I have been working here for two and a half years. I am a Senior Program Consultant. I work directly with Group Leaders planning international group tours. I communicate with them through the entire planning process starting with the decision on where they want to travel all the way through when they return from their trip. I help teachers recruit and advertise their trip and then provide them all their tour information as their day of departure approaches.
What is your favorite Tour?
I have been on a few student tours since I started working at Explorica. I really enjoyed the Best of Ireland Tour I took this past summer. It was a customized trip which a Group Leader designed that took us all around the country and into Northern Ireland. The scenery was gorgeous and the people were very friendly. The trip began in the metropolitan city of Dublin and continued on around the beautiful coast with stops at castles and even a visit to our Tour Director’s family sheep farm. I will always have fond memories of Donegal where we enjoyed hanging with locals and listening to traditional Irish music. Seeing Northern Ireland after the struggles that have occurred there was eye opening for both me and the group of students.
Although Ireland was my favorite personal experience, my favorite tour to plan with Group Leaders is Costa Rica. It is such a great deal because everything is included in the price and the costs are much less than a trip to Europe. Students are constantly entertained by activities such as zip-lining through the rainforest and horseback riding. At the same time they are learning the culture of a new country though visits to the national parks and local schools.
What’s your best Explorica memory?
My favorite memory at Explorica was this past summer. I recently returned from the wonderful student tour of Ireland and also a New Teacher Training Convention in London. I really enjoyed being with the student group and experiencing the tour firsthand. Afterwards, I met with a great group of teachers that had qualified for our London Teacher Convention and helped them plan their first student tour while showing them the sites of London. It is fun getting to see teachers face to face and learn from them as well. When I returned I was happy to find out that I had earned the title of Senior Program Consultant. All my hard work and experience had really paid off. It was a great summer at Explorica overall!
What’s your best advice/tips for teachers organizing a tour?
A piece of advice I would like to give teachers is to plan early! I have seen such success with groups that set up their group tours in the spring for the next year. We always have great incentives that can benefit both you and our participants. We even open up Value Packages based on our early planners. It also allows students to enroll early and take advantage of a lower price while spreading their payments out over a longer period of time. There will be more time to fundraise, earn money during the summer, and teachers can recruit again in the fall. Planning early gives you the best chance of getting the best reservations for flights and hotels which can lead to fewer connections and better locations.
What are you being asked about most this month?
- What is the 95 day deadline and what do I need to do for it?
It is the deadline for your students to enroll and the due date for their last payment with our Standard Payment Plan. It is the perfect time to schedule a meeting to remind them about the deadline and to make sure they have passports. It also gets them excited about the trip that is only a few months away!
- When do I get my group’s flight information?
You get your flight information quicker with Explorica than any other company. If you are on one of our Value Package or Private tours then you get your flights a month after you whole group enrolls. That means once you reach your reservation number you will know a month later your flight information!
For more info on flights visit Travelers' Lounge: Flight & Hotel Information.
- Can a participant in my group arrive or return at a different time than the group?
A participant can arrive before the start of a tour and/or return later than the group. We call this a Stay Ahead and Stay Behind and it costs an additional $145. This MUST be done at the time of enrollment either online or with an application. If you have any questions, please call our Customer Service Line at 888.310.7121.
For more info on tour extensions visit our Travelers' Lounge: Extended Travel Options.
Contact Pauline with questions or for more information.
