Try not to panic, but imagine launching a new travel program from scratch. There are so many details to consider! What is your target market? Where will you travel? How much should a trip cost? How much revenue will the program generate? What do your travelers want? Are you overwhelmed yet? Creating a new travel program can be a daunting task, but if it is done properly, it will pay off for years to come. Here at Academic Travel Abroad, we’ve been navigating the travel industry and providing guidance to our partners for over 65 years. We are experts in the field and have a few tips to share that will help even the most seasoned travel planner launch a new travel program. Get the Whole Team on BoardMany organizations often designate a small team to champion the development of a fledgling travel program. While it is important to have individuals focused on the success of your new travel endeavor, it is equally important to have support all the way up the ladder. Be sure to set clear and definable goals and seek buy-in at all levels of the organization. Give Yourself Enough TimeRome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a successful travel program! It takes an average of 18-24* months for most organizations to get a new travel program off the ground. While this may seem like a long lead time, there are several important decisions to make before marketing trips. After establishing brand standards and designing core programs, trips should enter the marketplace 12-14 months before departure to maximize enrollment. Cutting corners may hinder the success of your program’s initial year, leaving stakeholders questioning its value. This can be avoided by working with a tour operator to clearly outline a timeline from conception to launch. Research, Research, ResearchYou can’t have a successful travel program without travelers. Researching your target market is arguably the most important factor to your success. We cannot stress enough the value of gathering data to support your initiatives. You may already have several innovative ideas for trips that align with your company’s mission and goals, but will your patrons be interested? Analyze your customer list, send out a preliminary survey, and gauge interest in the early stages of program development. Ask questions to identify key market demographics and get a sense of the price point, destination, and trip duration your travelers are most interested in. Work with a Trusted PartnerLast, but certainly not least, find a trusted tour operator to help you navigate your way. Tour operators have an in-depth knowledge of the industry and experience launching new travel programs. They can offer advice and guidance, collaborating with you throughout the process. When you work with a tour operator you gain an invaluable resource and partner. If you are still searching for a tour operator, you’re in the right place because we happen to be one! To learn more about our process and how we can help visit: https://acadtrvlp.wpengine.com/about/what-we-do/. *Please note: A shorter time of only 12 months is generally required when launching only a single trip.
Blog
2018 Year in Review
Happy New Year! 2018 kept us on our toes in so many ways. As we settle into a new year, let me highlight a few wonderful things that happened last year. ATA IN THE WORLD In 2018, we fulfilled our mission—to create unique, enriching experiences for intellectually curious adults and students—for thousands of travelers, all over the world. Some of our proudest moments of collaboration included: Building a basketball court for a local community in Vietnam (Duke Engage) Managing a culinary experience to Tuscany, led by the world’s only Pulitzer-prize-winning restaurant critic (Los Angeles Times Expeditions) Overseeing a Madrid-based conference for 400+ alumni, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs (Babson College) Winning a diversity award nomination for our Hmong language and culture short term study abroad program in China (University of Minnesota) Sending an enthusiastic group of adult “students” to Oxford University (Smithsonian Journeys) Taking a deep dive into Middle East politics and the regional effects of the Syrian refugee crisis during a trip to Jordan (The Nation) NEW RELATIONSHIPS We welcomed the following new partners to the ATA family last year: Babson College, Dartmouth, Dickinson, Leadership Greater Washington, Osher Life Long Learning Institute, and the publication The Nation. BACK IN DC: OUR PRIORITIES AT HEADQUARTERS New Technology! We completed a two-year journey of implementing six new technology platforms across the company—from reservations to account management, to website performance, collaboration tools, and even human resources! This investment will allow us to serve our partners, students and travelers even more effectively. Diversity and Inclusion These concepts have informed our work since 1950, when we began to facilitate exchange between peoples of different cultures and backgrounds. However, we have been working to amplify these values within our workplace, as diversity enriches innovation and creativity, and broadens the perspective of all staff. All staff took part in a workshop this summer, and now we have a growing D&I committee to set new goals and provide additional training and resources to our teams. OUR INCREDIBLE TEAM Twenty one new team members joined us this year! We had fun on scavenger hunts, at parties, celebrating milestones and in the field! GIVING BACK Many staff and colleagues increased access to study abroad by supporting the important work of the Fund for Education Abroad. We also lobbied our Congressional representatives on Capitol Hill and discussed critical issues facing the travel and study abroad fields. OUR THANKS AND GRATITUDE We are so grateful for the travelers who count on us to enrich their lives by creating theme-based educational trips; for the colleges and universities who entrust us to shape their students into global citizens, and to the professional associations who ask us to help advance research across borders. Our best wishes for a wonderful year ahead!
Los Angeles Times’ Expeditions Design in the Desert
Los Angeles Times’ Expeditions Design in the Desert The L.A. Times has a loyal readership for architectural topics. To tap into that market, we designed a trip with Christopher Hawthorne, the Times’ architecture critic from 2004 to 2018. Hawthorne had written pieces for the paper about the architecture of Dubai. Dubai trips are fairly unusual in our corner of the travel industry, but with Hawthorne’s expertise, we saw an opportunity to tap into a new destination. With the content and activities he helped curate, other journalists were able to replicate the program for multiple departures. Participants visited a variety of neighborhoods in Dubai, learned about the city’s ultramodern architecture, and traveled to Abu Dhabi. One guest commented, “Each day was so different, it’s hard to say [what I enjoyed the most]. Memorable moments: the dinner at the Burj Al Arab, Christopher Hawthorne’s talk at the hotel, the days on the bus with Richard Wagner’s packed with informative talks, the talk on construction of Palm Island to name a few.” The trip fit the market perfectly and was an immediate sell out. The first program was led by Hawthorne himself. With the content and activities that he helped curate, other journalists were able to replicate the program on subsequent departures.
Behind the Scenes of New York Theater
Behind the Scenes of New York Theater One of the largest trip categories for New York Times Journeys is Arts and Culture. And, if you’re the partner designing a program for New York Times subscribers that takes place in New York City, the program has to exceed all expectations! “My husband and I take tours when a tour offers something that we cannot do on our own. Behind the Scenes far exceeded our expectations.” The itinerary for this immersive program changes each time we operate the program, depending on what’s happening in the world of theater at the time. This requires great attention to detail, quick decision making and flexibility woven into the structure of the trip. A certain degree of unpredictability and the element of surprise makes the program even more exciting for travelers. Past travelers have visited a well-known theater bookstore, taken a tap-dancing class, discussed theater criticism with Times’ reporters, and met cast members from a variety of productions. One traveler summed up what makes us most proud of this particular program: “My husband and I take tours when a tour offers something that we cannot do on our own. Behind the Scenes far exceeded our expectations.”
Introducing Our New Logo
We are pleased to announce that Academic Travel Abroad has a new logo! Our old logo has served us well, but after several decades, we decided it was time to modernize our look. To us, the paper airplane symbolizes a journey—in motion, it can go anywhere. It embodies innovation and creativity—qualities we strive to incorporate daily into our work. It suggests education and out-of-classroom learning—a paper airplane conjures up images of science competitions, school yards, and day-dreaming students who seek to escape to the outside world. It evokes playfulness, fun, and, whimsy, as well as a bit of the unexpected. This feeds into our corporate value of “never a dull moment” and our appreciation for a sense of humor. It represents transformation—what started off as a simple piece of paper is now a vehicle for flight. We take pride that our travelers experience personal development and transformation traveling around the world on our programs. Rest assured that behind our new look, we are still the same ATA that you’ve come to know. Our mission to create unique, enriching experiences for intellectually curious travelers, all while exceeding the expectations of our partners, is stronger than ever. We continue to be committed to contribute meaningfully to our world, our field, and the community
Wellness Around the World
Q&A with Tour Manager Kyra Sudofsky Wellness travel is no longer considered only to be a high-end spa vacation. Today, it encompasses everything from yoga retreats to tech detoxes. It’s about traveling with a purpose to promote health and well-being. Wellness travel is rising in popularity. That shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the wellness industry grew over 10% between 2013-2015. Tourism now makes up $563 billion of the $3.7 trillion growing industry, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Expanding into wellness travel is a great way for companies operating in the health and wellness sector to extend their brand reach and capitalize on the growing popularity of wellness. We recently partnered with Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, and this spring marked their first-ever international wellness program to India. We had the chance to speak with a former Academic Travel Abroad program manager, seasoned tour leader, Kripalu ayurvedic counselor, and dedicated yoga instructor, Kyra Anastasia Sudofsky. Read on to gain insight on wellness travel and the success of Kripalu’s inaugural international program. Q: Hi, Kyra! Tell us a little bit about yourself. A: I’ve been working as a tour manager with ATA for almost 25 years. I have traveled all over the world, throughout Europe and Asia. It has been a pleasure to work with such a professional company and to meet interesting people from many cultures and backgrounds. Q: Have you ever participated in a wellness travel program before? A: Yes, many times. I have led retreats to Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, West Virginia, and Hawaii. These trips typically included a strong element of yoga and meditation as well as a focus on healthy cuisine. Q: How did you get involved with the Kripalu organization? A: I have been attending classes at Kripalu for over 27 years! I started while still a student at the University of Massachusetts, and I worked in the Kripalu kitchen during spring break. Kripalu is a very special place for me, and I know I will continue to return over and over again. Q: What motivated you to lead the Kripalu Yoga trip to India? A: It was a dream come true for me to unite ATA and Kripalu. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time! I liked the idea of connecting my two loves, yoga and travel. Q: Describe a typical day on the Kripalu program in India. What activities did travelers participate in? A: We typically began each day with a yoga class and then went on a sightseeing excursion. One of the group’s favorite excursions was visiting a local school and teaching yoga to the children. We also had the opportunity to make bread at a Sikh temple and dine with a local family in their home. The extension was much more active than the main program. While staying at the SwaSwara resort, we had more time to relax and enjoy Ayurvedic treatments. Q: What makes India a good location for a Yoga trip? A: India is where yoga originated. It makes so much sense to travel to India for anyone interested in yoga, spirituality, or meditation. Q: What other destinations would be ideal for wellness travel? A: There is so much that can be done in India, but other excellent destinations include Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Greece, Italy, France, Indonesia, Nepal, and Bhutan. Q: What was the most meaningful or memorable part about the trip? (for you or the travelers) A: The highlight for me was making new friends from Kripalu and in India. We were fortunate to have such a cohesive and wonderful group of like-minded people. Kripalu’s first international wellness trip was a huge success! Mandie Dixon, a Kripalu traveler, reminisced, “The trip was awe inspiring. The yoga and ayurveda was above excellence in subject content and delivery. The food, lodging, and tour was outstanding in comfort, and the leaders were knowledgeable and caring. This trip changed my life and will forever be in my heart.” We look forward to working with Kripalu on future programs as the demand for wellness travel continues to grow.
