How to Choose a Travel Agency for a School, College or Corporate Trip: 12 Questions to Ask

Safety

• 1. Who leads the trip, and what training do they have (first aid, trekking)?
• 2. What safety kit travels with the group — first-aid kit, and on treks, oximeters and oxygen?
• 3. How do you handle rooming for girls and boys, and night-time supervision?
• 4. What's the plan if someone falls ill or the weather turns?

What you're paying for

• 5. Exactly what's included and not included — stay type, meals, transport, entries, guide?
• 6. Who provides the stays, transport and activities on the ground, and how do you check them?
• 7. How many complimentary seats for teachers or staff?

Money and paperwork

• 8. What's the payment schedule — and is anything payable before the plan and price are confirmed in writing?
• 9. What are the cancellation and refund terms, including if a few travellers drop out?
• 10. Will you give a GST invoice in the institution's or company's name?
• 11. Can you share a documents pack — registration, GST and insurance details — for our management?

Experience

• 12. Can we speak to a school, college or company you've taken on a similar trip?

Red flags

• Pressure to pay quickly to "hold seats".
• Vague inclusions ("hotel" without a type or name, "meals" without saying which).
• No written confirmation, or payments to personal accounts.
• No clear answer on who leads the group.

How we answer these: no payment until the plan and price are confirmed in writing, a documents pack for your management, first-aid trained trek leaders and a single point of contact. See [schools](/groups/schools), [colleges](/groups/colleges) and [companies](/groups/corporate).