About Explorica

At the time Explorica was founded, organizing a tour was an entirely manual process and there was little competition in the field to drive change—or improvements in quality, service or pricing.

Industry veteran Olle Olsson recognized the opportunity for innovation. He assembled a multidisciplinary team of seasoned educational travel experts, and set out to reimagine the entire educational travel experience from the teacher’s perspective. Explorica was born.

The company launched in 2000 and was an instant game changer. We empowered teachers to control their trip planning process through simple, online tools. We simplified and digitized the enrollment process by introducing the industry’s first online registration, account management and credit card payment systems. We used the savings from these operational efficiencies to provide higher-quality hotels and meals for lower prices than comparable operators in the field. And most importantly, we put teachers first, soliciting their input and using their feedback to continually improve the travel experience.

Today, the legacy of innovation continues. We’re known as the most responsive company in the industry because we turn our group leaders’ ideas into reality. This customer-driven business model ensures that we are always providing the best experience possible for every traveler, on every tour. It also means that we’ve added many new products, services and resources through the years, including several industry firsts:

• The first digital Tour Diary
• The first flexible teacher rewards and free-place ratio
• The first Guaranteed Travel Dates
• The first teacher-to-teacher peer-mentorship program
• The first online tour customization tools
• The first pre-paid tipping option

Every single one of these innovations was inspired by feedback from our group leaders—the voices that guide everything we do.

To provide even more best-in-class services for our travelers, we joined together with WorldStrides in 2016. As a WorldStrides company, we are now able to offer academic credit for students, professional development for teachers, $50 million in liability coverage and an even greater network of global support. Explorica travelers benefit from the resources of North America’s largest educational travel organization, while still enjoying the same flexibility and personalized service from their dedicated Explorica consultant.

As our offerings have grown through the years, our focus remains the same: provide the highest-quality tour components at the guaranteed best prices with the most innovative, responsive and attentive service in the industry. 

We give you a dedicated trip planning consultant—a veteran travel expert who works exclusively with teachers planning educational tours—to help you set up your trip and get ready to travel. From recruitment resources and a network of teacher mentors, to informative webinars and trainings, we provide the support you need for an incredible trip.

On tour, your experienced Explorica tour director guides your group every step of the way. They leverage their local expertise to bring the destinations to life and provide insider tips you won’t find in guidebooks.

Behind the scenes, our expert operations team watches over your group to preempt any problem that may arise along the way, and our dedicated customer care team is at your service to provide immediate assistance anytime, anywhere you may need us.

From start to finish, our focus is you. See how to lead a life-changing educational tour.