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planning your tour today
Deciding how best
to spend a considerable sum of other people’s money is
no trivial matter, and is a particularly onerous task for
directors and managers. It is always difficult to compare
one tour company with another; perhaps we can help a little
with this list of important questions.
Is each company’s
quotation based on the same specifications?
When making a price comparison, it is vital that you know the basis on which
each tour company is quoting. This information must include:
• Total group size
• Number of free places
• Number and type of performances
• Number of nights
• Standard of accommodation
• Number of meals
• Extras included, such as sightseeing and excursions
• Airfare
The last item, airfare, is important. It should generally be quoted as a separate
item, with the terms and conditions clearly explained, so you can avoid falling
for a low 'package' price which turns out to have been based on a promotional
fare which suddenly expires or which has unacceptable restrictions.
Are you getting good value for your money?
It is surprising to us how often decisions are made on price alone. Of course,
price is important but, after the tour, are your participants going to begrudge
an extra $50 or $100 if the tour was a success, or feel better if the tour was
not successful but they saved that amount? A higher-priced tour may offer much
better value than a lower-priced one.
Does the company offer close personal attention?
A custom concert tour requires an enormous interchange of information and ideas
between the group and the tour company. This is often much better done in person
than by email or telephone. Find out where the tour company is located. How willing
are they to meet with you on a regular basis? Will they make a presentation to
your group to help build up enthusiasm? Do they wish to hear a rehearsal or concert,
so as to make a personal assessment of the most suitable concert sites? Will
they brief the group before departure on what to expect on tour? Will they handle
the check-in at the airport on departure?
Does the company have musicians on its staff?
You are planning a performance tour, not a vacation. This is an extremely specialized
business, requiring much more knowledge and experience than a travel agent could
be expected to have. You want to be able to discuss repertoire, acoustics, instruments,
etc., with people who speak your language; in other words, with musicians. Find
out not only about the tour company's travel expertise but also about its depth
of musical knowledge.
How long has the company been in existence?
Will they provide references? Ask the tour company for a list of directors in
your area with whom they have worked – especially those with whom they
have worked more than once. Be sure to find out how long each company has been
in business; longevity says much about a company.
Does the company have offices or representatives in the countries you are planning
to visit?
Find out if the company has their own offices and staff in the area where you
will be touring. Sometimes a company will subcontract the all important on-site
logistics to another business or individual. And ask an important question, "Will
knowledgeable musical members of your staff visit our concert sites in advance
to check their suitability?"
Which company would you like to work with?
Once you have selected the general area in which you want to tour, choose the
company you would most like to work with, not the company that happens to have
included a particular city or concert site. You do yourself and your group a
disservice by telling the company you would actually prefer to work with that
you are going with someone else "because they had Oxford on their itinerary
and you had Cambridge". It happens! Any worthy company will be able to adapt
its itinerary to incorporate the features you would like.
Above all, try to get to know the company before you make the choice. 'Blind'
bids are all very well, but in the effort to give no one an advantage you will
end up with several very similar-looking pieces of paper -- and tour companies
are most certainly not similar! You will be working with whomever you choose
for a year or more, and paying them a great deal of money. Shouldn't you try
to get to know them as well as possible before making the decision and find out
how responsive they are to your particular requirements?
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“Our tour to South Africa was a life-changing experience that the students will never forget - and was the best tour I have ever taken in my life. Where should we go next?"
Edie Copley
Director
Northern Arizona University Shrine of the Ages Choir and the Master Chorale of Flagstaff
“I believe that ACFEA sets the gold standard for performing arts tours. Greenwich Academy has had the good fortune to do seven tours with ACFEA, beginning in 1995, and this year's tour to Italy and Austria was another resounding success.”
Beth Raaen
Director and Performing Arts Chair
Greenwich Academy Choir
“We had a well-conceived itinerary, the right number of concerts, excellent sight-seeing, beautiful hotels, wonderful food, enthusiastic expert couriers and guides. I think this experience was a tremendous value for the price paid.”
Charles Moore
Executive Director
Greater Dallas
Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony
“Arranging a trip for a large marching band is definitely both rewarding as well as challenging, but ACFEA helped lower the challenges and those potential last minute surprises that we as directors always dread thanks to their highly professional and seasoned staff. From the initial site inspection, to their assistance in building the itinerary to the quality of the tour guides, ACFEA helped make this trip everything I wanted it to be for our students and alumni.”
Brad McDavid
Director
University of Washington Husky Marching Band
“As always, ACFEA proved again that they are the company with which to travel. I have never had a bad experience on an ACFEA tour, and our tour to Italy exceeded my expectations on every level. The choir's response to your efforts is resoundingly positive. Thank you. I will continue to travel with ACFEA throughout my career.”
Robert Istad
Director
Irvine United Methodist Church
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