Academic Travel Planning Guide

​​

Tell Us About Your Program — We'll Handle the Rest

Planning a faculty-led, EMBA, or institutional travel program starts with one conversation. This guide walks you through everything we need to know to design your program from the ground up. Fill out the inquiry form below, or use this guide to gather your details before reaching out.

Every question below is there for a reason. The more context you give us upfront, the faster we can move from conversation to a fully scoped proposal.

 

What We Need to Plan Your Program

1. Your Institution

What is the name of your university or institution?

This tells us your institutional context: accreditation environment, risk management requirements, insurance frameworks, and any procurement or vendor compliance requirements that affect how we structure contracts and documentation. Many universities have specific supplier approval processes -- knowing who you are from the start means we can prepare the right compliance package immediately.

Examples: Stanford University, INSEAD, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, a nonprofit consortium.

​

2. Who Is Planning This Program?

Your name, title, department, and contact details

We need to know who owns this program on your side. Is this a faculty member designing the academic experience, a program coordinator managing logistics, or a department administrator overseeing compliance? Often it's all three people working together -- and we need to know who plays which role so we assign the right communication to the right person.

Please include:

• Full name and title

• Department or school

• Email address

• Phone number (for urgent coordination)

• Best time to reach you

3. Program Type and Academic Subject

What type of program is this, and what is the academic focus?

This is the most important question we ask. We do not design itineraries from a destination catalog -- we start from your syllabus, learning objectives, and course subject. The academic focus determines which site visits, guest speakers, cultural experiences, and in-country partnerships will actually serve your students.

Tell us:

• Program type: Faculty-Led, EMBA Immersion, Institutional Research, Nonprofit Study Tour, Spring Break, or other

• The academic subject or course (e.g., Global Supply Chain Management, International Business, Public Health Systems, Political Economy, Cultural Anthropology)

• The primary learning objectives for the program

• Any required readings, case studies, or thematic frameworks the travel should connect to

Example: "This is a faculty-led program for a graduate course on sustainable urban development. Students should understand how cities in Southeast Asia balance rapid growth with environmental policy."

​

4. Number of Participants

How many travelers are expected?

Group size directly affects logistics, pricing, accommodation availability, and the level of on-the-ground support required. Please give us:

• Estimated number of students

• Number of faculty or staff traveling with the group

• Whether additional chaperones, teaching assistants, or guest faculty will join

• Any significant uncertainty in the final headcount (many programs finalize enrollment 60-90 days before departure)

Typical group sizes we manage: 10 to 600 participants. We handle both small doctoral cohorts and large undergraduate programs.
 

5. Destination and Itinerary Preferences

Where do you want to go, and do you have an itinerary in mind?

If you already have a destination in mind, tell us. If you don't, tell us the academic objectives -- we'll recommend destinations that best serve them. If you have a draft itinerary or a previous program structure you want to build on, share it.

Please include:

• Preferred country or region (or "open to recommendations based on academic objectives")

• Any must-visit cities, institutions, or sites already identified

• Draft itinerary if one exists

• Whether this is a single-country or multi-country program

• Any logistical constraints (visa complexity, flight availability, political environment concerns)
   

6. Travel Dates

When are you planning to travel?

Lead time matters significantly for group travel. We can move quickly, but the best rates, availability, and vendor relationships require planning time. Tell us:

• Preferred travel dates (departure and return)

• Date flexibility (fixed by academic calendar, or adjustable within a window?)

• Any hard constraints (exam periods, semester start/end, institutional blackout dates)

• How far in advance you are planning (12 months, 6 months, 3 months, or less)

Programs we manage most commonly depart in January, May–June, and August. We can work with any timeline, but 6–12 months of lead time produces the best outcomes.
 

7. Number of Days

How long will the program run?

Program duration determines the depth and breadth of the experience we can design. A 7-day program calls for a tight, focused itinerary. A 21-day program allows for multi-city exploration and layered academic experiences. Tell us:

• Total program length (in days)

• Number of full program days (excluding travel days)

• Whether travel days are counted as part of the academic program

• Whether the program includes any pre- or post-program extensions for participants who want additional travel
   

8. Number of Nights and Accommodation Preferences

How many nights of accommodation are required, and at what standard?

For a 10-day program, you may need 8 or 9 nights depending on departure and arrival schedules. We need to know:

• Total number of nights

• Accommodation standard: budget/hostel, mid-range (3-star business hotel), upper-mid (4-star), or premium (5-star/boutique)

• Room configuration preferences: single rooms for each participant, twin-share, or mixed?

• Any accommodation requirements for faculty (e.g., single rooms required for all faculty)

• Proximity preferences: city center, near campus partner, near program sites

For EMBA programs, we typically recommend 4-star business hotels with meeting space. For undergraduate programs, 3-star hotels or university guesthouses often strike the right balance of quality and budget.
 

9. Site Visits Required

Which organizations, institutions, or locations must be included in the program?

Site visits are often the academic core of the program. They require advance coordination -- some require months of lead time and institutional introductions. Tell us:

• Specific organizations, companies, government agencies, NGOs, or cultural sites you want to visit

• Academic rationale for each (ties to course objectives)

• Whether visits are confirmed/wishlist/flexible

• Whether you need guest speakers or panel discussions arranged at each site

• Language requirements for site visits (interpreter needed?)

We have established in-country relationships in over 100 countries. If you have a wishlist, we'll tell you what's feasible and what alternatives exist.
 

10. Guide or Escort Requirements

Does your group need a dedicated guide, program escort, or both?

This is a common point of confusion. Here is the distinction:

• Program Escort: A Destination Partners staff member or trusted partner who travels with your group for the full duration of the program. They manage all day-to-day logistics, serve as the local point of contact, and handle anything that comes up on the ground.

• Local Guide: A destination-specific expert who leads cultural, historical, or thematic experiences within a city or site. They typically join for specific segments, not the full program.

• Both: Many programs use both -- a program escort for continuity and accountability, and local guides for specialist knowledge at each destination.

Tell us which level of on-the-ground support your program requires and whether your institution has any requirements around chaperone-to-student ratios.
 

11. Budget

What is your approximate per-person budget or total program budget?

Budget transparency helps us design the right program the first time. We do not ask for a budget to maximize it -- we ask so we can make realistic recommendations about destinations, accommodation standards, and program scope. An honest budget conversation at the start saves weeks of back-and-forth.

Tell us:

• Per-person budget range (or total program budget).

• Whether the budget includes international airfare or ground-only.

• Whether faculty costs are included in the student price or billed separately to the department.

• Currency (USD, EUR, or other).

• Whether the program is student-funded, department-funded, grant-funded, or a combination.

If you are not sure yet, give us a range or tell us the program fee your institution is planning to charge students -- we'll work backward from there.

​

12. Dietary, Accessibility, and Health Requirements​

Are there any dietary restrictions, mobility needs, or health considerations we should plan for?

We collect detailed participant information as part of pre-departure preparation, but we need to know upfront if there are group-level requirements that will affect logistics, accommodation selection, or vendor sourcing. Tell us:

• Known dietary restrictions in the group (vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, severe allergies).

• Mobility or accessibility needs (wheelchair access, limited walking capacity).

• Any relevant health considerations for the destination (altitude, heat, vaccination requirements).

• Whether any participants are minors (under 18), which affects some destination-level requirements.
   

13. Academic Objectives and Course Integration

How does this program connect to your academic curriculum?

The more we understand your learning objectives, the better we design the experience. Many of our most successful programs are built around a specific assignment, framework, or course theme. Tell us:

• The course this program is tied to (or its standalone academic purpose).

• Key learning outcomes students should be able to demonstrate after the program.

• Any required deliverables (reflection papers, site reports, presentations).

• Whether you want the itinerary structured around specific thematic "modules".

• Whether faculty will teach or facilitate sessions during the program itself.

 

14. Prior International Program Experience

Has your institution run this type of program before?

Knowing your experience level helps us calibrate the depth of support we provide. Tell us:

• Has your department run international programs before? If so, how many and to which regions?

• Have you worked with a travel management company before? What worked well or poorly?

• Do you have an existing preferred vendor relationship or institutional contract we should be aware of?

• Are there lessons from past programs that should shape how we design this one?

If this is your first international program, we'll walk you through every step. If you're experienced, we'll move faster and focus where you need us most.

15. Compliance and Risk Management Requirements

What institutional requirements do we need to meet?

Every university has different procurement, insurance, and risk management frameworks. We provide a full compliance documentation package as standard -- but we need to know your institution's specific requirements upfront to ensure everything is aligned before contracts are signed.

Tell us:

• Does your institution require supplier registration or vendor approval?

• Are there required insurance minimums or certificate of insurance requirements?

• Does your risk management office require a destination-specific risk assessment?

• Are there any required waivers, participant agreements, or pre-departure briefings mandated by your institution?

• Is there a Travel Advisory threshold your institution follows (e.g., no travel to Level 3 or higher)?
   

16. Anything Else We Should Know

Is there anything specific about your group, your institution, or your vision for this program that we haven't asked?

Every program is different. Some programs have a signature experience that has become a tradition. Some have complex political sensitivities. Some are connected to a research project or a community partnership. If there is anything that shapes what a successful program looks like for you, tell us here.

 

What Happens After You Submit Your Inquiry

Step 1 -- Initial Response (within 1 business day): A Destination Partners program specialist will review your inquiry and follow up to schedule a discovery call.

​

Step 2 -- Discovery Call (30-45 minutes): We discuss your academic objectives, logistics requirements, and timeline in detail. No generic presentations -- we come prepared with destination-specific context and initial feasibility notes.

​

Step 3 -- Preliminary Proposal (within 5-7 business days after the scoping call): We send a structured preliminary proposal covering recommended itinerary outline, accommodation options, per-person budget estimate, and timeline.

​

Step 4 -- Program Development: Once you approve the direction, we move into full program development -- site visit coordination, vendor sourcing, compliance documentation, and participant materials.