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2021 EDITION 6 EASY TIPS FOR VIRTUAL CHARTERING A SAFE FIELD TRIPS MOTORCOACH TRIP Tour museums, national DISCOVER parks and laboratories LEARN-AT-HOME from the safety of home PROGRAMS OFFERED BY MUSEUMS DEVELOP TEAMWORK SKILLS AT OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PARKS A Premier Travel Media publication / StudentTravelPlanningGuide.com STPG2021_Cover.indd 1 9/16/20 2:19 PM 2021 EDITION Editorial & Advertising Offic 621 Plainfield oad, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527 P 630.794.0696 F 630.794.0652 [email protected] www.ptmgroups.com Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk [email protected] Senior Editor – Randy Mink [email protected] Associate Editor – Miles Dobis [email protected] Contributing Writers – Lisa Curtin, Ayumi Davis, George Hashemi, Amanda Landwehr, Dove Rebmann, Zoe Strozewski Director, Design & Production – Lisa Hede dolgachov/Bigstock.com [email protected] Design & Production Intern – Abbie Wilson f there have been any silver linings to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, then one of them has certainly been the growing appreciation for teachers across the The publisher accepts unsolicited editorial matter, as well as world. The ordinary stresses of the job have been compounded with limited face advertising, but assumes no responsibility for statements made by time with students, concerns about classroom safety and uncertainty about the advertisers or contributors. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy Ifuture. However, both educators and students alike have quickly adapted to our new of the information is published, but the publisher makes no warranty that listings are free of error. The publisher is not responsible for the digital normal—a world where lessons and tests are administered over Zoom calls. As return of unsolicited photos, slides or manuscripts. an advocate for the student travel industry, we’ve discovered that ingenuity has been Student Travel Planning Guide (ISSN 2154-4905) is published applied to field trips as ell. annually by Premier Travel Media Inc. 621 Plainfield oad, The traditional field trip—an opportuni y for students to leave their usual classrooms Suite 406, Willowbrook, IL 60527. Postage paid at Willowbrook, IL and Lebanon Junction, KY. This publication is distributed free to youth and apply their lessons in a tactile environment—has proven nearly impossible in the group travel organizers and travel suppliers catering to the market. current climate. However, museums, parks and universities have continued to educate Single copies for all others is $9.95. “digital visitors” through seamless integration of videos, professional Q&As and Send Address Change To: interactive maps to create “virtual field trips.” eachers can acquire prepared lesson Premier Travel Media, Inc. plans and guide discussions while modules provide students with in-depth experiences 621 Plainfield oad, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527 unforeseen before the digital revolution. As well, museums and labs have ingeniously Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. Materials may not be designed at-home science experiments to impart lessons about physics, chemistry and reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. art that students can replicate with simple household objects. We shine a spotlight on dozens of these digital field trip xperiences in this year’s Student Travel Planning Guide edition, and there are even more to discover on our website. FREE For those who do wish to charter a field trip during these challenging times, our “6 ips WHITEPAPER for a Safe and Successful Motorcoach Trip” feature provides guidelines from professional motorcoach organizations on how to safely prevent the spread of COVID-19 on a bus trip. We also explore the growing popularity of adventure parks. These outdoor attractions combine the thrill of an obstacle course with the safety of a nature preserve, and they can teach students important teambuilding and physical fitness lessons in an ou door environment that is substantially safer than an indoor attraction. Happy Travels, Miles Dobis This revolutionary whitepaper from Student Travel Planning Guide starts the dialogue about how educators can partner with tourism professionals, public entities and private industry to expose their students to field-based learning oppo tunities. studenttravelplanningguide.com/stem-whitepaper 2 STUDENT TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE 2021 STPG2021_Letter.indd 2 9/16/20 1:20 PM 26 contents FEATURES 4 COVID-19 and its Effect on Student and Youth Travel How student tour groups and 9 destinations are adapting to the unprecedented travel climate. VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS 6 6 Tips for a Safe and 14 V irtual Field Trip Resources Successful Motorcoach Trip Discover the perfect learn-from-home activity from Ensure your students’ safety and these online portals. enjoyment during the COVID-19 pandemic by adhering to these easy-to-follow steps. 15 Museums in the Classroom Examine priceless art, discover the past and conduct your own experiences through these museum programs. 9 Adventure Parks: The Ultimate Outdoor Classroom VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP ROUNDUP These attractions encourage students to develop teambuilding 18 East 24 Southwest skills and physical fitness 20 Midwest 26 West 22 Southeast ON THE COVER: Photo courtesy of iStock.com/AnnaStills Visit studenttravelplanningguide.com for more virtual field trip ideas STUDENT TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE 2021 3 STPG2021_TOC.indd 3 9/16/20 1:28 PM COVID-19 AND ITS EFFECT ON STUDENT AND YOUTH TRAVEL HOW STUDENT TOUR GROUPS AND DESTINATIONS ARE ADAPTING TO THE UNPRECEDENTED TRAVEL CLIMATE 4 STUDENT TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE 2021 STPG2021_TravelReturn_Curtin.indd 4 9/16/20 1:30 PM By Lisa Curtin or decades, student travel has who have traveled with their students Bird Flu to name a few. We forget that been gaining momentum, with or sports teams. There is no doubt that many people across our country (and with tour operators opening their doors a desire exists to once again be on the SARS, parts of Canada) were affec ed by across the United States to serve road. However, the majority feel the these viruses. Tourism did rebound, and Fthe growing population. Educators have opportunity to introduce the idea to their those viruses became distant in our minds. been inspired to teach beyond classroom community will be best served once the The effect f COVID-19 may be longer doors, band directors to bring their current situation settles down, a vaccine is lasting, but one day this too will be a performance students to entertain new introduced and their hometowns can bear distant, albeit historical, memory. audiences, and dance and sports teams the cost of travel. With many families still Once group leaders are once again traveling across the country to compete. affec ed by unemployment, the best-case ready to travel, and many are itching to These opportunities affo ded hundreds of scenario in starting to travel again is late do so, a consideration is that communities thousands of youth to experience the thrill spring of 2021 with great confidence i may be more accepting of local of travel, increase social skills and gain an moving forward by fall of 2021. destinations at fir t, perhaps starting appreciation for other cultures and ethnic To rebound, families will need assurance with travel in their own state. There are backgrounds. And suddenly, in March of of consumer protection and safe travel hundreds of wonderful places to visit in 2020, all this stopped with the pandemic practices. every state, and for many the comfort of brought on by COVID-19. Back in March, being not too far from home (and in most I doubt anyone thought this virus would SOCIAL OR PHYSICAL DISTANCE? IT cases, reachable in less than a day’s drive) keep our students out of schools for the IS USED INTERCHANGEABLY, BUT will give parents the advantage of saying remainder of the school year, and for ONE SENDS A POSITIVE MESSAGE. yes to a trip rather than feeling angst. many, change the beginning of the 2020- I have twin 15-year-old grandsons who Inherently, parents want to provide their 2021 school year and the course of travel. play lacrosse. In July of 2020, donning children with opportunities. As time passed, group leaders were a mask, I attended a very well-managed hard-pressed to cancel their tours, with lacrosse tournament in Indianapolis. SAFETY IS FIRST…BUT DO NOT LIVE tour operators having no choice but to Literally hundreds of young athletes IN FEAR. react. Not only did this affect the our from around the Midwest participated Tour operators know that safety is at the operators, who in many cases are small in this tournament, with family members forefront of every group leader’s mind, and business owners, but all those services in attendance to cheer them on. The safety is the tour operator’s top priority. The that are part of the process of operating a tournament management did a great job of same applies for motorcoach operators and successful tour. From motorcoach carriers informing the teams in advance of safety the industry as a whole. In speaking with to the staff member serving a meal o precautions, pre-screened hotels before tour operators, many are using this time a group, all are affec ed. The industry blocking rooms and did away with a few to revamp their safety protocols and crisis simply came to a complete stop. usual gatherings, such as team potluck management plans. The entire industry is The world, once so big and accessible, dinners. Across the field, signs ere posted working together to get youth back on the now seems very small. to practice physical distancing, choosing road, safely, and bring the world back to to use the word physical over social. This being an accessible place. HOW WILL STUDENT AND YOUTH led to an air of community, compliance and We simply cannot live in fear. Life is TRAVEL REBOUND? respect for others while allowing social too short.
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