The Truth About Comps On Student Trips

“Group Leaders Travel FREE!” Ever heard that one before?

Well it’s true. It’s an actual tradition in student group travel for the group leader to travel free of cost. Afterall, they’re using their nights and weekends to take their students on a transformative travel experience and they just plain deserve it.

But, like mama used to say: “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” So here’s the inside truth we think you should hear: the complimentary group leader package is not actually free. The tour company takes the cost of the group leader’s tour package and divides it among the number of paying travelers.

What About Assistants Or Chaperone Comps?

The same principle applies for your assistants and chaperones: the cost of each free adult will be divided among your paying travelers. That said, some tour companies will advertise a comp ratio, like one free comp for every 25 paying travelers. Others will offer a fixed number of comps, like two free teachers no matter what. The main thing to keep in mind is that these are just guidelines.

In fact, people always ask us, "how many comps do we get?" and the real answer is- it's up to you! Now that you know the truth about how comps work you can approach the situation more realistically, which is why we prefer being transparent about the topic in the first place.

The Truth Will Set Your Fee

We encourage group leaders to ask themselves, how many comps do I need? The head director will always be free, but how many assistants do you have? Does an administrator need to go free of charge? Is there an accompanist necessary for a big concert? Some directors will also ask for comp packages for their spouse or child. Just keep in mind that the more comp travelers you ask for, the higher the trip cost will be for the paying travelers. Think through the staff/personnel necessary to make this trip a success and communicate that to your tour operator.

An Overlooked Cost Factor: Rooming Arrangements

Once you know who must be on the trip, the next step is determining if they’ll each need a private hotel room or if they can share two people to a hotel room. Double occupancy packages are less expensive than single occupancy packages, so sharing rooms helps. That said, asking your assistant and your principal to share a room might create more drama than it's worth.

Delivering Your Comp Decision

With this information in hand, you can tell your tour operator exactly what you need in a way they’ll understand. That might sound like: four complimentary packages- two at double occupancy, and two at single occupancy. Then whether you have 100 travelers or 50 travelers, those four important people will be covered in the way you need, and your tour operator can calculate an accurate trip cost that reflects your needs.

Enjoy Your Trip!

We hope that knowing the truth about how comps work on student group trips can help you plan your trips better. Hopefully now you’ll be able to build the necessary support team you need to make the trip a success, while being conscientious of how it impacts the cost for your paying travelers. But more than anything, we hope you and your group have an incredible trip!