Sep 11
12
I’m a professor currently looking into a trip to Europe. I’ve gotten some information from EF College Tours about their study abroad program but in all honestly I’m turned off. They claim to be the lowest prices, but based on my personal experience, I know that’s absurd. I’ve traveled at much lower costs than they are offering the students. There isn’t much flexibility on paper with the program and I wonder if maybe they’re getting some kickbacks from hotels and guides overseas to maybe explain their inflated ‘lowest price’ costs. Anyone have any experience as a professor or tour leader? Is it really a good deal?
True, I thought about doing that, but in Italy a local guide is required by law even though most likely I know more than the guide. Still, I have no choice but to hire them, so going through a study abroad program is almost a must.
I also looked at ACIS, not sure if they’re any better.
You are right, EF College Tours are expensive.
This is because they book the students into 3-star hotels with double rooms instead of booking hostel dorms for them. They also arrange for meals in restaurants instead of letting people arrange for their own dinner and lunch.
What they charge for the service of a tour guide, bus and driver and for arranging everything is pretty much standard for the industry. In that regard they are no better and no worse than any standard travel agency.
If you know a bit about Europe you could try to arrange everything yourself. It is not that hard to do. You could put a student with some travel experience in charge if you do not want to do the leg work yourself. That will for sure be the cheapest way.
(My professors did that when we went on a college trip to Iran, they had an Iranian student arrange everything and then put the students in charge of being tour guides. Each student had to do a term paper about a certain destination that was due right before the trip, so they sure knew what they were talking about.)
