Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Be able to contribute to a successful
residential study visit
SECTION 3
The ultimate success of the study visit involves more
than just what happens while you are away - it is a
combination of thorough planning before you depart,
positive participation while at the destination and
refl ecting on how well the tour went and your own
contribution when you return home.
A
ct
ivity 23.6
Aft
e
r
d
ividing yourself into three groups of roughly
e
q
ual size, each group needs to take on one of the
following tasks to help with the planning of the study
tour:
Devising a group code of conduct;
Participation in the planning
of the visit
1.
2.
Producing study visit information on the
destination;
Producing an itinerary for the study tour.
3.
As a group, you spent a long time agreeing the aims
and objectives of the study visit
,
and selecting a suitable
destination earlier in this unit. To continue the logical
planning of the visit you will need to:
Ask the tutors who will be accompanying you on the
trip for their input to these tasks.
This activity is designed to provide evidence for P3.
1.
Devise a gro
u
p
co
de of conduct - this is a set of
rules th
a
t e
v
erybody who takes part in the study
tour must
agree to and adhere to. Your college or
sch
o
ol will already have a general code of conduct
fo
r
students and may even have one that relates
specifi cally to study tours. Use these as a basis
for developing your own specifi c code, which
should include details of arrangements for free
time, commitment to the educational aspects of
the tour, timekeeping, attitude and responsibility
towards others, curfews, cultural awareness, safety
and security, etc.
Responsibilities prior to the visit
Nobody likes to go on a trip only to fi nd that they have
left their passport or travel tickets at home or forgotten
their foreign currency. Prior planning should ensure
that mistakes like this are kept to an absolute minimum.
You will need to consider the essential information and
documents that you and other group members will
need before and while taking part in the study visit,
including passport, travel documents and any visas,
emergency contact numbers with overseas dialling
codes, personal medication and medical details where
appropriate, permission forms (from college/school,
parents/guardians), money (in an appropriate foreign
currency if travelling abroad), general information
(suitable clothing, insurance and European Health
Insurance Card, etc.) and the code of conduct while on
the study visit. The Foreign and Commonwealth Offi ce's
website (
www.fco.gov.uk
) has excellent information
on a range of travel-related issues, such as insurance,
drugs, travel health, terrorism and travel money. The
website also has a useful travel checklist.
2.
Produce study visit information - gather together
information that will be useful to your group while
at the destination. This could include information
on where to eat and drink, events, attractions to
visit, contacts at tourist organisations, maps, etc.
3.
Produce an itinerary for the tour - from the
moment you leave your home town to the point at
which you return there after a successful tour, you
need an itinerary that provides details of all travel
arrangements, transfers, excursions, talks by guest
speakers, periods of free time, visits to tourist
facilities, feedback sessions, etc.
