The 2019 academic year has only just ended, but for most of us that doesn’t mean it’s time to kick back and relax. Instead, the summer is the perfect time to finalize your organization’s 2020 faculty-led and short-term study abroad programs.
Why Having Your Programs Finalized By September Is a Good Idea
By having your program’s finalized by the start of the new academic year, you allow more time for promotion and student recruitment. The more marketing and exposure you can allott to your programs the higher the possibility of meeting the minimum participants required to run the program.
That’s why we have laid out the timeline and steps below that will get your programs finalized before September gets here.
1. Send out RFPs
Once you have received your internal proposals from your faculty, it’s time to reach out to tour operators and program providers for RFPs (request for proposals). Depending on the provider, proposals can come back in as quickly as a week or as long as several weeks. It’s important to communicate with the provider and receive a delivery date of the proposal in order to stay on track with your internal timeline and deadlines.
Timing: Week 1
2. Receive itineraries and quotes
After reaching out to potential providers for your 2020 programs, you will begin receiving preliminary itineraries with recommendations, suggestions and additions, as well as their proposed cost of the program.
Timing: Weeks 2 – 3
3. Make edits and adjustments
Depending on the flexibility of your provider, the next step would be to provide feedback and make adjustments to any parts of the program itinerary you would like to change. Changes are dependent on the program budget and how they would impact the overall program organization.
Timing: Weeks 4 – 6
4. Finalize contracts
Once you have your program itinerary finalized you will move into contract with the selected partner for your program. Upon finalization of the contracts, the provider will begin the reservation process for your program, ensuring the previously agreed upon rates.
Timing: Weeks 7 – 8
5. Begin marketing your programs
After the contracts have been signed, it’s time to start marketing your 2020 program for the new academic year! You will be gliding into September and the new school year with peace of mind knowing that your short-term study abroad programs are ready to go and will be executed to your organization’s standards.
Timing: Weeks 8+
Interested in receiving a quote for your 2020 programs? Fill out the contact form below to speak with a 4.0 Tours manager and start the process today.
Program Development
7 Best Questions To Ask When Choosing a Tour Provider
If you’ve decided to start planning your study abroad program and search for a tour provider but don’t know the questions to ask potential providers, we’ve got you covered. Based on 15 years of experience, we have compiled our list of the 7 best and most necessary questions to ask during your process of selecting a tour provider for your program.
