Travel 'N' Tours, Inc.

5160 Tchulahoma Road

Southaven, Mississippi  38671

Phone:  (662) 349-2255

Toll Free:  (800) 528-6877

Fax:  (662) 349-9922

E-Mail:  info@travel-n-tours.com

Group Tour Host Information

 & Planning Guide

Travel is an enrichment of both body and soul.  The privilege of journeying to the sacred sites of our tradition, or to cultural and historic sites of great importance to our Judeo-Christian culture has only become available in recent times to the average person.

While some places of great interest are not currently safe venues for travel (notably the Holy Land), many other destinations in both North America and abroad are safe and inviting.  Countries like Ireland, Great Britain, Italy, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Canada, and Mexico offer a host of magnificent churches, shrines, cultural, and historical sites for the modern pilgrim’s journey.  The possibilities for magnificent spiritual and human experiences exist in abundance.  What is lacking?  The catalyst for every such journey is the special person who will promote and lead the tour.  Otherwise, regardless of all the opportunities and possibilities, most people’s heartfelt desire to experience firsthand their historical and spiritual heritage goes unmet.

Are you such a person?  Promoting and hosting a tour is not as formidable a task as one might think.  This Planning Guide is designed to acquaint you with what would be involved were you to decide to host a group of parishioners, club members, family members, or friends on an exciting and rewarding journey.

Constituency  A Tour Host obviously must have a body of people from which he or she can attract participants.  Who are likely Tour Hosts?  Church officials and clergy, both religious and lay; individuals influential in civic, social, aesthetic, and cultural organizations; and, political and community leaders.  All such people are in a position to serve as Tour Hosts.

Travel Benefits  Hosts of our tours enjoy completely free passage (called “Free Tour Host Benefit”).  Additionally, out-of-pocket promotional and travel expenses can be provided.  Tour Hosts are not expected to serve as Tour Directors or Guides on tours.  Expert licensed Guides are always provided to conduct the tour (the exception is with our CruiseTreat programs).  However, Tour Hosts normally provide the “lagniappe” for their tours.  For example, religious Tour Hosts add the spiritual dimension by conducting prayer services and religious rites appropriate to their faith persuasion.  Hosts of cultural and historical tours usually provide moments and exercises, printed materials, lectures, etc., that compliment and offer added value to the group’s tour program.

Number of Participants  The minimum number of participants for a “group exclusive” tour is 30 paying passengers (a “group exclusive” tour includes only members of the Tour Host’s constituency – a private tour).  There may be two or three Tour Co-Hosts as part of a group, but these participants are not “paying passengers,” since their passage is provided without cost as compensation for their work in organizing and hosting the group.  When it is not feasible for a Tour Host to attract 30 paying passengers from a single church community or constituency, we suggest partnering or “co-hosting” with a neighboring church or club or association as a means of increasing the potential pool of tour participants.  Our modern motor coaches, specially built for sightseeing, generally accommodate a maximum of 45 passengers.  However, our practice is never to put more than 39 passengers on one coach, for reasons of comfort and convenience.

In the event a Tour Host is not confident of attracting the minimum number of participants for a “group exclusive” tour, it is quite often desirable and feasible to join one of our regularly scheduled tours.  The minimum number of paying passengers required to join a scheduled departure and to still enjoy the Free Tour Host Benefit is 15 participants.

Number of Free Tour Host Benefits  An ideal ratio is 1 Free Tour Host Benefit for each 15 Paying Passengers.  In this scenario, if there were 30 or more paying passengers on a tour, then 2 Free Tour Host Benefits would be provided.  Other ratios are possible, such as 1 for every 10 paying passengers, but this ratio would obviously increase the tour price of each participant moreso than would a ratio of 1 free benefit for every 15 paying passengers. 

Tours Include Air and Land Transportation  This simply means that if a Tour Host organizes a tour that departs from St. Louis or New Orleans, roundtrip airfare is included in the tour price from the departure city to the destination.  If there are some participants who want to join a tour from other cities, they can be accommodated by means of an air add-on, which may involve a slightly higher tour cost for them.  All land transportation (motor coaches, trains, and ferries) is provided as outlined in the tour itinerary selected by the Tour Host.  Guided sightseeing and most meals are included in the prices of our tours, along with a variety of special events and celebrations (where available and appropriate).

Quality of Hotels  All of our tours, unless specifically noted otherwise, use centrally located 4-Star and/or 4-Star Superior hotels.  Comfortable rooms offer twin beds and private bathrooms with tub or shower.  Tour prices are based on double occupancy, but single accommodations can usually be offered at an additional surcharge.  Tour Host rooms can be either double occupancy or single occupancy based on the needs and desires of the individual Tour Host(s).

Tour Director, Guide, and Driver  On all tours, a modern motor coach specially designed for sightseeing will be driven by a licensed, professional Driver.  A professional Tour Director will accompany the group from start to finish, and licensed, English speaking Guides will offer the commentary on the individual sites visited during the tour. 

Planning Timeline  Our recommendation, based on many years of experience, is that a Tour Host needs a minimum of 6 months for the promotion of a tour from the date an agreement is reached with Travel ‘N’ Tours.  However, group tours may be planned up to one year in advance of the intended departure date.  The minimum of 6 months allows enough time for reasonable promotion of the tour to the congregation or constituency, for deposits and final payments to be collected, for the acquisition of Passports where necessary, and for delivery of travel documents and related travel accessories (document cases, luggage tags, printed itineraries, carry-on flight bags, etc.).

How We Will Help  Travel ‘N’ Tours will work with potential Tour Host(s) to select just the right tour itinerary and travel dates, based on the desires and interests of the host(s).  Once a tour agreement has been finalized between the Tour Host and Travel ‘N’ Tours, we will provide 200 colorful, printed promotional brochures, along with registration forms and envelopes.  Additionally, a representative of Travel ‘N’ Tours will be happy to conduct an audio/visual presentation for all those people who express an interest in joining the tour.  Tour presentations are conducted at a place and time that is mutually agreeable to the tour host and the Travel ‘N’ Tours representative.  These informative tour presentations are an excellent way to generate interest in the tour.

Resources at Your Disposal  Friends, church members, classmates, fraternity and sorority friends, referrals (friends and relatives of friends), membership lists of clubs and organizations, co-workers, business contacts – all of these are potential tour participants. Church bulletins, community newspapers, newsletters, email messages, bulletin boards (in churches, community centers, educational institutions) provide great ways to announce and publicize a tour.  Public speaking opportunities (Tour Hosts can volunteer to speak to garden clubs, civic groups, religious groups, etc.), the U.S. Postal Service (conduct a simple mailing to in-town and out-of-town contacts who are prospective participants), and the telephone (don’t hesitate to call people and apprise them of your tour and its benefits) also provide wonderful opportunities to generate interest in, and excitement about, a tour.  Our Tour Hosts have often sponsored events such as a wine & cheese party or a Sunday afternoon coffee & cake social with positive results.

The Mundane Details  Travel ‘N’ Tours will provide the personalized promotional brochures, registration forms, and reply envelopes for distribution to potential tour participants.  We will collect deposits, do the invoicing, collect and process final payments, assure proper documentation (Passports, where needed), assign roommates, handle written and telephone requests for information from tour participants.  Tour Hosts and tour participants will always receive friendly, courteous, and responsive treatment from the staff of Travel ‘N’ Tours.

How to Proceed  Just complete and return the enclosed “Request for Tour Proposal” form.  Or, call or email Travel ‘N’ Tours with any and all questions.  We will then do our homework, scheduling and pricing the tour to meet your needs.  Once we have confirmed the tour itinerary and prices, we will respond with a written proposal.  After review and acceptance of the tour proposal, we will print the promotional brochures and assist with the overall promotion of the tour to your congregation or constituency.

What is Your Obligation?  If our tour proposal is not to your complete satisfaction, we will do our best to revise and improve it.  However, in no instance are you obligated to proceed with a tour by requesting a Tour Proposal.  We would love to hear from you, and we look forward with much joy and anticipation to working with you to fulfill the travel dreams of you and your constituents.

Travel ‘N’ Tours, Inc.

5160 Tchulahoma Road – Southaven, Mississippi 38671

Tel: 662 349-2255    Toll-free: 800 528-6877

Fax: 662 349-9922   Email: info@travel-n-tours.com

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