Evening activity for students: Dinner Theatre

When planning an educational tour for student groups, it's often a challenge to find an evening activity that can appeal to both the students and their parents. Many student or educational tour operators suggest a sit-down dinner followed by some kind of show to fill up the evening. Or kill two birds with one stone and spend an evening at a dinner theatre ('theater' if you're American of course) like Toby's Dinner Theater in Baltimore and Columbia, Maryland USA. Some dinner theatres have a set show that runs indefinitely, while others like Toby's mix it up with different shows to keep people coming back.

Michelle Murphy from Toby's told me a little more about their offerings:

"Deliciously entertaining and convienantly located between Baltimore, Washington DC and Annapolis Toby's Dinner Theater's have been serving up delicious meals, live orchestra and broadway style musicals for almost 30 years. Two locations to better serve you - Baltimore and Columbia, MD. Free motorcoach parking, Driver and Escort Complimentary tickets and tour planning assistance."

Toby's Dinner and Show

Location: Baltimore MD, and Columbia MD USA

Tel: +1 866-998-6297

www.tobysdinnertheatre.com

Hotels for Student Groups - Overton Hotel

Choosing a hotel for student groups is never easy, since there are often a number of things parents and teachers request or DEMAND from a hotel. Some of them are:

• No room doors leading outside (like your typical motel)
• Pay TV and Adult channels blocked
• Coffee removed from the room
• No mini-bar
• Outgoing telephone calls blocked
• rooms all in one area, or split boys/girls on different floors or different ends of the same hallway
• Room-to-room calls blocked (in most cases can't be done)
• Space to meet with group. Teachers are fine with the lobby. Hotel staff not so much.
• A pool
• No pool (safety concerns and to avoid the hassle of students asking to use it
• A gym (for teachers and parents to use)
• No gym (so the students don't use it and get hurt)

It's nice to know many hotels are taking these steps and seek out the business of student and school groups. Many hotels don't want groups of young people because of these extra concerns and requirements.

Josh Henegar at the Overton Hotel in Lubbock Texas sent me this announcement to pass along to teachers and educational tour planners:

Lubbock’s new conference center and full-service hotel is now open! They call Lubbock the Hub City with good reason: It’s the center of a five-state region where everything comes together. Soon Lubbock will be the area’s hub for meetings, events, conferences and conventions, at the new Overton Hotel and Conference Center. Lubbock is rich with agricultural, music and military history. International tours are beginning to book fast, so be sure to check out more about your group's trip to the South Plains of Lubbock at www.visitlubbock.org.

Overton Hotel and Conference Centre

Location: Lubbock, Texas USA

Tel: (806)776-7000

www.overtonhotel.com

Hostels for Student Groups

Hostels have changed a great deal in the last couple of decades. What was once an accommodation choice reserved for backpackers on the tightest of budgets, has now become a popular option for travelers of all kinds on a budget. School and student groups are using hostels with greater frequency as the years go by. I should know - I've worked at a few hostels, and for educational travel companies that made use of hostels for some groups.

Hotels are nice, but for student groups, hostels provide some distinct advantages:

• Often no television in the rooms (students won't be tempted to stay up all night watching)
• Common room where students can gather (hotels usually only have the lobby which can be disruptive)
• Kitchen where students can keep food and drink or prepare snacks/meals on their own (a nice group activity)
• Student-friendly atmosphere
• The chance to meet and interact with travelers from other countries (something nearly impossible in a hotel)
• Central location (compared to the inexpensive hotels used by tour companies usually located on the outskirts of the city)

So, if you're interested in using a hostel for your next group, consider contacting the people at Hostelbookers (www.hostelbookers.com). Cal Cromie from Hostelbookers sent me this info to pass on to my readers:

Hostelbookers.com offer budget accommodation ranging from hostels to 3 star hotels in 2700 destinations throughout the world. With over 13,000 propertie sto choose from we are able to offer you net rates and a range of properties to match your group requirements. We aim to get back to you within 4 hours on any enquiry and can send you a direct link to our multi-lingual Groups dept. For further information about our properties please log on to our website www.hostelbookers.com. or contact Carl Cromie on 020 7440 4903

Hostelbookers

Location: Worldwide, London England

Tel: 020 7440 4903

www.hostelbookers.com

Student Travel to India

India is a hot destination now (pun intended) and when preparing a trip to a foreign land you've never been to, you really should go with a trusted local expert. Mini V. Jain contacted me from PrimeTravelS.com with this info to pass along to you:

"We are an India-based company with presence in US and UK. We specialise in customized tour packages for India and have cultural tours, educational tours for school and college students, adventure tours, Yoga tours or other common interest tours as per clients requirements.

We have been in business since 1992 and have most of the well established Tour Operators and Academic Institutes in Europe and US buying India Tour requirements from us.

Visit our website to know more about us."

PrimeTravelS

Location: New Delhi, India

Tel: +91.11.4670 0000

www.primetravels.com

Homestays and ESL in England

At first I wasn't sure whether to write about homestays and ESL education here because it didn't fit my definition of "Educational Travel" or "Student Tours", but changed my mind. "Educational Travel" can have a broader meaning than I apply to it (students traveling with teachers), and I've always been a fan of homestay programs for the cultural exchange value. I used to teach ESL in Japan too. So, here is the profile for a homestay program in England worth checking out. Lorna Allen from Live and Learn Homestays Ltd sent me the following info. I wonder if they could handle a group of teenagers?

"We provide the ideal solution for people who want to improve their English quickly! Live and learn English in your private tutor's home.

Stay in the beautiful Heart of England and enjoy a 1:1 English course and cultural visits with your tutor.

We can arrange English courses and activities for groups, individuals, adults, children, beginners and advanced learners. Specialised business English and exam preparation courses are also available.

Contact us today and we'll help you to succeed in English."

Live and Learn Homestays Ltd

Location: Birmingham, England

tel: 7706975227

www.homestay-online.com