FOR TOURS DEPARTING:

Oct. 1, 2014Sept. 30, 2015

PREPARING FOR DEPARTURE

Getting everyone ready for the trip of a lifetime

PREP IN YOUR STEP

The adventure of a lifetime is just around the corner.

Its time to hold a departure meeting to make sure students, parents and
chaperones are completely prepared for your tour. This handbook will walk you
through the topics you should discuss at your meeting, as well as the final things
that you and your travellers need to do before departing. It will also help you set
the right expectations for your travellers, which is key to a successful tour.
Please contact your Tour Manager if you have any questions. They can also provide
you with a PowerPoint presentation to use at your meeting. Youve put in so much
hard work and preparation. Its about to pay off.

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IN THIS BOOK
04 | Your Departure Meeting
05 | Travel Documents
06 | Accommodation and Rooming
07 | Transportation
08 | Meals, Optional Excursions and Money
09 | Tips on Tipping
10 | What to Bring
11 | Phones and Wi-Fi
12 | The Role of a Group Leader
13 | The Role of a Tour Director
14 | Rules of the Road for EF Travellers

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YOUR DEPARTURE MEETING

Your departure meeting is your opportunity to make sure students, parents and chaperones are
prepared and enthusiastic about your upcoming tour. This meeting should be held approximately
1 month before departure. Here is how to get your meeting started.
Generate excitement!
The trip that everyone has anticipated for so long is almost here. Review your tour itinerary together and remind
your group why they are taking this journey. To experience new people and new places, to see a famous
monument or to visit a museum, to learn about new culture, to taste new foods... the reasons are endless!
To start off your meeting, have travellers take turns sharing what they are most looking forward to and why.
Hand out EF backpacks and luggage tags
Give out the EF backpacks that you will receive and suggest that travellers use them as their carry-on bags.
Hand out the luggage tags and emergency contact cards. Your group leader bag is also included in this package.
Talk about group travel
If your group isnt large enough to fill an entire bus on its own, you will be paired with other schools from Canada
and the United States. Remind your students that travelling with others requires thoughtfulness, a good attitude
and flexibility. Its crucial that everyone follows instructions and makes punctuality a priority for wake-up calls,
sightseeing tours, meeting times, etc., so ask your travellers to wear watches or bring their phones to keep
track of time.
Discuss your itinerary and departure day
Review your groups flight information and discuss where and when your group will meet on departure day
(i.e., at school, at the airport). Plan to arrive at the airport for check-in three hours prior to departure. Remind your
students that the first two days of travelling will be extremely busy. Groups staying within North America will arrive
on day 1 in the late afternoon, groups flying overseas arrive on day 2 and hit the group running with activities.

Remind students about their departure books

All the information your students need before your tour is included in
the Tour Handbook, which theyve already received. Its a good idea to
review portions of this book, including EFs Rules of the Road, together
as a group. Be sure to review your tour safety requirements in the
Safety Handbook.

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TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Its crucial that everyone on your tour has their travel documents in order before you go. Take time
at your departure meeting to review these items.
Complete your passport list
EF recommends that all Group Leaders travelling outside of Canada complete and carry a passport list
which includes passport information for all travellers in your group. This is very handy to have for many
reasons including hotel check-in and loss of a passport.
For groups travelling to Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Peru, Russia, South Africa,
Thailand and Vietnam a passport list is mandatory for your tour and must be submitted to your Tour
Manager no later than 75 days (2.5 months) before departure.
The passport list template can be found on your secure site under Planning Resources.
Confirm that your group has correct visas for entry
For Canadian citizens, visas are mandatory for certain countries. These include, but are not limited to
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, India, Kenya, Russia, Tanzania, Turkey,
and Vietnam. For some countries an electronic visa (a simple process completed on-line) is accepted, and
for other countries the process is more involved.
Non-Canadian citizens must be aware of and obtain the necessary visas for the countries that they are
visiting on your tour or making a connecting flight through while in transit.
In both cases, to obtain your necessary visas, EF recommends using visacentral.ca/eftours, which gives
a discounted rate to EF travellers on their visa processing fees.
Check for Parental Authorization forms
For groups travelling to Argentina, Brazil, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Panama, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, all travellers under the age of 18 must have
a Parental Authorization Form signed and notarized no more than 30 days before departure. Travellers
must bring this form on tour and have in hand for transiting all customs and immigration check points.
The forms are available on your personal Group Leader website and your travellers personal EF website.
Both you and your group will be notified of this via email at approximately 70 days prior to departure.
Obtain a consent letter
For all groups leaving Canada, EF strongly recommends that the Group Leader and all adult chaperones
carry a letter written by the school administration that gives consent to the adult chaperones to travel out
of the country with these students. This letter, on school letter head, should list all participant names, their
role (student/chaperone/Group Leader), their complete passport information and indicate all details of the
trip. This will ensure a smooth transition through customs, when entering other countries, including the
United States. For a sample letter, go to eftours.ca/consentletter.

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ACCOMMODATIONS & ROOMING

Youll spend most of your time on tour exploring and learning but you should also know what to expect
when you settle in for the night. This is a good time to talk to your travellers, parents and chaperones
about rooming arrangements.

Set accommodation expectations

Hotels
A good nights sleep is important, so you can count on safe, clean and comfortable hotels with private
bathrooms. Please keep in mind that groups may not all be roomed next to each other and may be on
different floors and some hotels may be located outside the city centre. For groups travelling outside
of Canada and the US, some common differences from North American hotels include:
Rooms are usually smaller and have multiple single and/or shared double beds.
Rooms seldom have air conditioning or televisions.
Hotels may not have elevators, if they do they will be small.
Late check-ins may be necessary.
Not all hotels will have wifi and those that do may have an associated fee. Expect the speed of hotel
Wi-Fi to be slow due to the number of people using it at once.
Night trains and ferries
Sleeping compartments on overnight trains are very small, and there are no single or double rooms.
Adults and students room in compartments called couchettes of up to six beds that fold down from
the wall. Couchettes may not be exclusive to EF travellers and may be shared between males
and females. Travellers share bathrooms on trains and luggage space is very limited, so try to pack light.
Be sure to dress comfortably as you will sleep in your clothes. Think of sleeping on an overnight train
like sleeping on an overnight flightyou share your space with other travellers around you.
Ferry accommodations vary depending on the tour. Generally, adults and students room in
cabins of four beds.
Single rooms are not available on overnight ferries and overnight trains.

Discuss rooming arrangements and upgrades

Students
Students cannot request roommates prior to departure as their rooming arrangements are determined on tour
based on hotel configurations. Students under age 20 will share a room with two or three other travellers of
the same gender, either from your own group or from other groups with whom you are travelling. Each room
will contain single beds or shared double beds, or a combination of the two. Room types may vary from city
to city, so students may not always have the same roommates. Students who wish to have twin rooms can
request one for an additional fee (each student will be charged). Any non-standard student requests should be
submitted to you and our Traveller Support Department by 110 days prior to departure.
Adults
All Travellers aged 20 and older will share twin rooms with other adults of the same gender from your own
group or one of the groups with whom youre travelling. Couples may request a room with a double bed for
no extra charge. Adults can pay an additional fee to upgrade to a single room. As Group Leader, you are
responsible for submitting an adult rooming list to your Tour Manager by 110 days prior to departure.
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TRANSPORTATION
Depending on your specific tour itinerary, your group may use a variety of transportation modes. At your
airport arrival, you will be picked up by a motor coach. The motor coach will be used on most guided
sightseeing tours and for the excursions included in your itinerary.
While in larger cities, such as Barcelona, Berlin, Chicago, London, Madrid, Montreal, New York City, Paris,
Rome, and Toronto, you will use public transportation (known as the subway or metro) as part of your tour
itinerary. During free time, groups will find using local transportation to be the easiest way to move around
the city. Your Tour Director will teach your group how to use local transportation safely, and will familiarize
you with maps and public transportation routes.
For transfers between cities or countries, groups will typically travel by motor coach. Your itinerary is
designed in accordance with local laws regulating the number of hours that a coach driver can operate a
motor coach. The use of the motor coach beyond these hours is strictly prohibited. During long transfers,
the motor coach will make stops to allow your group to stretch, use facilities and for the driver to rest in
accordance with local laws.
In addition, some tour itineraries will include the use of internal flights, day or overnight trains, day or
overnight ferries and/or cruises. Please speak with your Tour Manager for specific information on these
modes of transportation.

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OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS,
MEALS & MONEY
If you havent already done so, discuss which optional excursions your group wants to participate in.
Explain the types of meals to expect on tour and tell your students how much spending money they
may want to bring with them.
Set meal expectations
Outside of North America, travellers should expect portion size to be smaller than what they are
accustomed to at home. Breakfast typically includes cereal, bread or rolls, jam, juice, coffee and
tea. Lunch is your chance to make culinary discoveries of your own. Your Tour Director can make
recommendations. Included dinners will be a mix of familiar dishes and local specialties, either at a local
restaurant or at your hotel. Your group will receive a pre-set meal rather than ordering from a menu. You
can ask your Tour Manager for sample menus for your tour destinations. Advise your group that they will
be expected to pay for soft drinks and other beverages at dinner. Table water is provided free of charge;
bottled water is provided only in those countries where deemed necessary by locals. If any of your
travellers have dietary restrictions, please tell your Tour Manager and reiterate them to your Tour Director
by email before you depart.

Choose optional excursions

Every itinerary is loaded with visits to some of the worlds most incredible sights, but theres always
more to see. Your group can enhance its tour experience by enrolling on optional excursions. You get a
discounted rate by purchasing optional excursions at least 70 days prior to departure. Many excursions
must be pre-booked while some can also be purchased on tour. We recommend that for any optional
excursion you choose, that you make it mandatory for your entire group to participate. Groups who
choose not to do an optional excursion will have free time and should plan accordingly.
Your Tour Director will also offer their own on-tour enhancements. Be sure to ask your Tour Manager for
examples and approximate costs.

Review spending money suggestions

We recommend bringing the equivalent of $50 in the currency of your arrival destination.
Travellers should obtain this currency before the tour so they have it with them when your group arrives.
We also suggest planning on $50 to $60 per day for spending money to cover lunches, beverages,
souvenirs, free time activities and additional excursions. ATMs are the most convenient method for cash
withdrawals, just ensure you have a four digit pin and a chequing account. All travellers should check with
their banks to ensure their debit and credit cards and current pin will work in their destinations.

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TIPS ON TIPPING
For tours travelling outside of North America, you can now move onto more specific topics, starting with
tipping. Tour Directors and bus drivers work hard to make your journey smooth, safe and enjoyable and
they appreciate being rewarded for quality service. Tipping is standard in the travel industry, so please
share these tip guidelines with your travellers and their parents. The most convenient way to collect tip
money is to do so before departing on your tour at your departure meeting. EF suggests depositing the
money into your chequing account and withdraw it in local currency during the course of your tour.

Suggested tip amounts

Tips for your

Tour
Director

Tips for your

Bus
Driver

Tour Director
Your Tour Director is with your group 24 hours a day, taking care of all logistics
on the tour and becoming a partner and friend on the road. We suggest tipping
your tour director $5$6 per person*+ per day.

Bus Drivers
Bus drivers are responsible for ensuring your groups safety and comfort on the
road. For planning purposes ask your Tour Manager how many drivers you will have
during the course of your tour. We suggest tipping your bus driver $3 per person*+
per day.

Local Guides
It is customary to tip local guides for half-day sightseeing tours. For planning purposes ask your
Tour Manager how many local guides you will have during the course of your tour. We suggest
$1$2 per person*+ per day for each local guide.

Many Group Leaders like to make tipping a fun farewell gesture on tour. Consider having your groups
sign a thank you card for your Tour Director and bus driver to include with the tips. Another idea is for
a few students to tell their favorite memory of the trip at your final dinner and present the tip.
*All amounts are in Canadian dollars and include you as the Group Leader and your chaperones.
+ For tours staying within Canada or going to the United States, all tips are included in your program price

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WHAT TO BRING
Youre almost there. Make sure your students are ready to go by discussing packing guidelines.
Review the packing list below to help them get started. Students can also find this list in the Tour
Handbook or at eftours.ca/packinglist
Encourage your students to pack light
Travellers are responsible for loading their own luggage on and off buses and into hotels, so make it clear,
it is best to pack light! Each traveller should only bring one small suitcase and their EF backpack as a
carry-on. It is important to note that many airlines now charge for checked luggage. This also applies to
tours staying within Canada or going to the United States. For this reason, groups travelling within North
America should consider travelling with a carry-on suitcase only. For all destinations, check your airlines
website for specific fees and rules regarding checked luggage.
Remind your travellers that they should carry all money, travel documents, valuables (phones, camera,
music players), any medications and an extra change of clothes in their EF backpack and bring this with
them on the plane. These items should not go in their checked luggage.

Clothing and accessories

Keep in mind that some religious
sites require that shirts cover
the shoulders and arms, and do
not allow shorts, short skirts or
flip-flops.
Comfortable walking shoes
Shirts (short- and longsleeved)
Socks and underwear
Shorts/pants/jeans
Pajamas
Bathing suit (if applicable)
Raincoat and/or umbrella
Watch
Toiletries
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Shampoo/conditioner
Soap
Deodorant
Hairbrush/comb
Sunscreen
Spare set of contact
lenses/glasses

Money
Debit card
Personal credit card
At least $50 converted to
foreign currency of the first
country that youre visiting
Pouch for storing money and
passport under clothing
Documents
Passport (required on all tours
leaving Canada)
Visas (if applicable)
A copy of the your flight and
hotel information
A list of names and addresses
to send postcards to
Prescriptions (customs
officials will want to verify that
a containers contents match
its label, so all medication
should be carried in its original
container)

Electronics
Alarm clock (many hotel rooms
wont have one)
Adaptor/converter (available
at travel stores)
Camera (memory card and
charger/batteries)
Carry-on bag
The EF backpack is a perfect
carry-on bag. Heres a short list
of items that should be packed
in the carry-on bag in case
luggage is delayed.
Flight and hotel information
Passport
Money
Airline ticket
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Hair brush
Contact lenses/glasses
A change of clothes
Medication
Music players, cameras and
cell phones

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PHONES AND WI-FI

Everyone wants to keep in touch and upload on the go. It is important that all travellers
understand cell phone and wireless internet availability if travelling outside of Canada.
Have a phone plan
Ensure those back home know that because your tour will be fast paced and youll be busy
having fun, there will be very limited time for you to connect.
If you plan to stay in touch with those back home via cell phone, be sure to contact your wireless
provider to set up an out-of-country service plan for your voice service (phone and text). Using
your voice services while abroad will incur significant roaming charges without having a prepurchased plan.
An easy and cost effective way to keep in touch is via email and social media which can be
accessed through Wi-Fi. This means that you should put your phone on airplane mode or
voice/data off mode, in which case it will connect to Wi-Fi only and you will not pay excess or
unexpected roaming fees.
Wi-Fi availability
Keep in mind that in many parts of the world, including some countries in Europe, Wi-Fi is not
widely available.
Not all hotels will have Wi-Fi and if it is available there may be a cost. Regardless of the country,
expect Wi-Fi in hotels to be slow, simply due to the number of people using it at once. Because
of this, do not expect to do large photo uploads and note that uploading even small files to
Facebook or other websites will be slow.
For more information on cell phone usage out of country go to eftours.ca/phonetips

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THE ROLE OF AN EF GROUP LEADER

EF Group Leaders are responsible for the conduct and well-being of their travellers.
Prepare your group
Ottawa or Osaka, New York or New Zealand, Qubec
or Kenya, prepare your group for their experience
away from home. Make sure they understand that
group travel requires flexibility and cooperation.
Setting your groups expectations for what is to come
is key to your tours success.

Role of your chaperones

Before departure, meet with your chaperones and
outline each of their specific responsibilities while on
tour. For example, curfew check, room checks upon
hotel checkout, carrying passports, head counts, and
rule enforcements. Deciding on these responsibilities
beforehand will make you a cohesive team on tour.

Set expectations for good behaviour

As Group Leader, it is your responsibility to
make sure your travellers conduct themselves
appropriately while on tour. Before departure, set
clear expectations for your students behaviour such
as curfew, punctuality, noise levels, condition of hotel
rooms and address these items in advance.

Meet with other Group Leaders

If you are matched with other groups, on your arrival
day, meet with the other Group Leaders on your
tour to discuss your objectives for the tour, as well
as the rules and expectations you want to set for
your travellers. Having this initial discussion and
addressing any questions or concerns daily, will
promote cohesion within the larger group.

Stay with your group at all times

Both you and your chaperones must accompany your
group at all times, including meals, all sightseeing and
activities and during free time.
Stay behind in an emergency
In case of illness, accident, loss of passport or
other emergency, it may be necessary for you or
another chaperone to stay behind with one of your
travellers while the rest of the group moves on. You
must ensure, however, that the rest of the group is
accompanied by an adult. Meet with your chaperones
before departure and determine who will be the one
to stay behind with the traveller in such instances.
Making this important decision ahead of time can
alleviate much stress and confusion at the time,
should an issue arise.

Communicate with your Tour Director

Your Tour Director wants to make your tour a success
and give your group the experience of a lifetime. Your
input and open communication along the way is key
to achieving this goal.
Complete an EF evaluation
Please complete the evaluation of your EF experience.
We use your feedback to ensure we are constantly
giving our travellers the best experience, from start
to finish.
Go with the flow!
You and your chaperones will set the tone of the tour
for your students. If youre having fun and going with
the flow, so will your students.

Medication
Ensure that you and your chaperones are aware of
any medications that your students should be taking.
When students are away from home and out of their
normal routine, they can easily forget to take their
daily medications. Being aware of the who, what
and when of medication routines will allow you to
be prepared for (and avoid) any serious medical
situations.
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THE ROLE OF A TOUR DIRECTOR

Tour Directors are responsible for ensuring on-tour logistics are taken care of and that you and your
students have the trip of a lifetime!
On-Tour Logistics
Your Tour Director will coordinate the day-to-day details of your transportation, accommodations, meals
and activities. Your Tour Director will be available to you consistently throughout your tour. You will come to
trust and rely on your Tour Director as a valued partner. Please be aware that, for the tour to run smoothly,
your Tour Directors responsibilities require him or her to take time away from the group each day to reconfirm tour arrangements and liaise with EFs suppliers.
Sightseeing
Your Tour Director shows you the highlights of your destinations and shares his or her knowledge of the
local cultures. He or she can also recommend things like best restaurants for lunch and ideas for free time
activities. Licensed local guides will provide your group with in-depth sightseeing tours in most cities.
On-tour emergencies
Tour Directors are fully trained to handle challenging situations and emergencies that might arise on tour.
Each Tour Director carries a mobile phone and can contact local EF offices in any country, including our
three Canadian offices, 24-7, so that you have the support you need when you need it.

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RULES OF THE ROAD FOR

EF TRAVELLERS
At your departure meeting, review all information below with you travellers and their parents.
All scheduled activities are mandatory. If a
traveller is sick or has a physical ailment that
might prevent them from participating in an
activity, they must tell the Group Leader who
will notify the Tour Director.
Travellers must be punctual for all scheduled
meeting times.
The very nature of travel means that things will
be different where you are going compared to
what they are at home. Be respectful of different
cultures and customs and be open-minded to
the differences. Be courteous to those who you
travel with and the new people you meet on
your travels.
If a student traveller wants to visit friends or
relatives in a destination country, they must tell
the Group Leader before the tour departs. The
Group Leader must obtain the permission of
the parents and school administration and give
the details to their EF Tour Manager by 30 days
prior to departure.
All travellers are expected to respect the nightly
curfew that your Group Leader sets. Room
checks will be conducted at the Group Leaders
discretion. Visitors or group members of the
opposite sex are not permitted in rooms.
Smoking is not allowed on buses, during meals,
in hotel rooms or in any other shared, enclosed
space.

Hitchhiking and the driving or renting of

any motor vehicle is strictly forbidden for
all travellers.
You are required to pay for any phone calls
or incidental personal expenses incurred at
hotels. These will be payable the evening before
departure at each hotel.
Payment for damage done to hotel rooms or
motor coach is the travellers responsibility. If
you notice any damage upon arrival at a hotel,
you should notify the Tour Director immediately.
The consumption of hard liquor is strictly
forbidden. For the EF student traveller, the
consumption of one glass of wine or beer with
dinner, in countries where the traveller is of legal
drinking age, is at the discretion of the parent,
Group Leader and school administration, as
applicable.
Shoplifting, possession of illegal drugs and all
other illegal activities will not be tolerated and
are punishable by immediate dismissal from the
tour. If you are involved in any illegal activities, all
costs to return home are at your expense. If the
local authorities are involved, you will be subject
to the laws of the country you are visiting.
EF supports the Group Leaders decision in
sending home any traveller for behaviour or
conduct issues, at the expense of the traveller.

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