As the world begins returning to some form of normalcy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel all over the United States is coming back in full swing.
If you are an educator preparing curriculum for the upcoming school year, you may be wondering if it is safe to take your students’ learning experience outside of the classroom and on a domestic, educational student trip. With educational tour companies implementing new COVID-19 protocols, student travel and tours can be done safely. Educational tours are a great opportunity to enhance your students’ learning experience, especially after a year of virtual learning.
Responsible educational tour companies are working hard to ensure that students can have an enriching learning experience while staying safe and adhering to COVID-19 guidelines. By coordinating with your tour company and equipping your trip participants with safe travel guidance, you can book an unforgettable trip for your students while limiting their risk of exposure to COVID-19.
Preparation is Key
As you are working with your educational tour company to plan your students’ upcoming educational trip, there are a few ways you can make sure your students are well equipped to protect themselves and their classmates from COVID-19.
In preparation for your trip, encourage the attending students and chaperones to review mask requirements for the state and locations you will be traveling to. The educational tour company will remind you to bring face masks and hand sanitizer, but they should have some extras on hand in case anyone forgets.
While most companies will not require proof of a negative COVID-19 test before traveling, attendees are encouraged to limit potential exposure to COVID-19 at least ten days before the tour. Encourage your students and chaperones to avoid large public gatherings and exposure to persons outside of their household in preparation for the trip.
If any of your students or chaperones start to experience any COVID-19 symptoms within two weeks before the trip, they should get a COVID-19 test and contact the tour company immediately. In light of the pandemic, most educational tour companies have developed COVID-19 insurance plans if someone gets sick prior to the trip and has to cancel. If any of your trip participants receive a positive COVID test result before the trip, they may be able to submit an insurance claim to receive a refund.
Taking Precautions During Your Tour
During your tour, make sure all of your students have face masks and hand sanitizer. Your tour staff should have thermometers on hand to perform daily temperature checks and monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Make sure that all of your students are aware of COVID-19 symptoms so that if they begin experiencing any during the trip, they can notify a chaperone immediately.
If any of your students begin to feel sick or show symptoms of COVID-19 while on the trip, you should work with the tour company to comfortably separate the student and their roommates from the group until they can receive a COVID-19 test. If your student tests positive, the tour company should help you implement a plan to safely separate the close contacts of that student and put a medical care plan in place if needed while you notify the student’s parents.
The tour company should also work with their motorcoach and hotel partners to make sure partner companies are implementing enhanced cleaning and safety protocols. Responsible tour companies have modified bus loading, hotel check-in, mealtime, and tour procedures to support social distancing guidelines and limit COVID-19 exposure so you can have peace of mind about your students’ safety.
Choose the Right Educational Tour Company
In addition to making sure that you, your students, and trip chaperones are prepared to follow COVID-19 guidelines, the best way to ensure a smooth and safe tour is by booking with the right company. Be sure to choose an educational tour company that has defined COVID-19 procedures in place to make your students’ trip safe, while still being memorable and fun.
At Son Tours, we take student safety and protection against COVID-19 very seriously. It is our priority to ensure that students, chaperones, and parents feel at ease when traveling with us. On your trip, our staff will follow all of the COVID-19 protocols mentioned above to make sure all tour participants feel protected. We understand that during the pandemic some things are out of your control, so our company offers an industry-leading COVID Protection Plan (CPP). The CPP allows participants to receive a 100% refund of their tour price if they need to cancel due to COVID-19.
Contact Son Tours to learn more about Son Tour’s COVID-19 safety protocols and to book your student educational tour today.