Check out the operators before committing your children to summer
study tours - CHOICE # 356 (June 15, 2006)
Parents sending their children on
summer study tours should check out and be clear about the service
providers operating the tours.
A recent Consumer Council survey has
shown that such study tours are not necessarily operated by
licensed travel agents.
Of the 12 service providers surveyed,
nine professed to be holders of a valid Travel Agents Licence
issued under the Travel Agents Ordinance.
Three others, by their own admission,
had either their study tours organized jointly with licensed travel
agents, or they are of a solely educational body and not in the
travel agent business.
Study tours are different from
ordinary package holiday tours requiring experienced personnel to
provide the special attention to the young travellers under their
care.
For study tours offered by a
commercial entity, parents should enquire if the service provider
holds a valid Travel Agents Licence, or if the tour is organized
jointly with licensed travel agent.
For such tours, parents should ensure
that the payment receipt indicates a levy charge equal to 0.3% of
the tour price so that in the event of default, they are entitled
to the protection of the Travel Industry Compensation Fund (of up
to 90% payment).
In addition, tour participants will
also be eligible for protection under the Package Tour Accident
Contingency Fund in the case of accidents (financial relief up to
$180,000).
Parents should also consider if there
is a need to take out travel insurance to get enhanced protection
for their children.
The Travel Industry Council (TIC) has
recently issued to its members a Code of Practice on operating
study tours with new guidelines to take effect at the beginning of
this month.
The new code requires that, amongst
other things, should a travel agent wish to make any changes to the
accommodation or other arrangements after the tour has departed,
they must immediately notify the TIC and tour representatives and,
furthermore, compensate to parents 15% of the tour price.
Another area of importance is the
ratio of tour escort to tour participants. Most service providers
claimed they would assign at least one tour escort who is the
holder of a valid Tour Escort Pass issued by TIC to each study
tour. The ratio would vary with the age of the participants, and
generally one tour escort to look after 8 to 20 participants.
For those opting to join study tours
that are organized by non licensed travel agents, parents should
check out the organizers to ascertain if they possess both the
experience and ability to conduct such tours.
Further, they should find out that in
the absence of protection measures (available under the travel
industry compensation and contingency funds), whether travel
insurance policies with sufficient protection coverage have been
duly arranged for tour participants. If the tour price includes
travel insurance, ask to see the detailed protection plans and
policies. If not, arrange to purchase travel insurance with
adequate protection.
In general, parents are advised to
ask questions with regard to the host families, if any, the health
facilities and support should their child fall ill, and any
activities with potential hazards, e.g. horse riding, rafting,
scuba diving, or even swimming and advise their children about
their capabilities in joining such activities.
According to the survey, the most
popular destinations for study tours this summer were the UK (98
tours) and the Mainland China (87 tours). For the UK tours, the
price ranged from $20,950 (16 days) to $43,398 (22 days); whereas
for the Mainland tours, the fee ranged from $930 (2 days) to
$13,990 (14 days). The most expensive tour offered was a study tour
to Canada for 31 days costing $49,998.
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