International Group Organizer Program ITMI Graduate Tour Directors

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2 www.sitatours.com/igo/itmi.pdf. Introduction to ... regarding all aspects of the group travel experience .... will create an exciting color trip brochure in pdf format.
Travel with your group to exotic international destinations

International Group Organizer Program for

ITMI Graduate Tour Directors with

SITA World Tours

Uncompromised Excellence in Travel Since 1933

Introduction to SITA World Tours There are a long list of reasons why your group should choose traveling with SITA World Tours. SITA has been sharing the beauty and diversity the world has to offer with travelers for nearly 80 years. SITA operates group travel programs to international destinations worldwide which focus on capturing the combined cultural and natural world essence of each destination visited. While we are one of the most highly acclaimed tour companies in terms of industry awards, certifications and affiliations, we strive to add to and improve our product offerings continuously. Our mission is to provide the level of attention to detail regarding all aspects of the group travel experience that ensures complete customer satisfaction.

SITA Group Department Working with the SITA Group Department as an International Group Organizer you will never be lost in the shuffle. Our rapid response commitment extends to all aspects of working with and fulfilling the needs of each group. At SITA, IGO’s are treated as valued travel partners.

SITA Air Desk The SITA air desk specializes in finding the best possible group airfares and flight connections for IGO groups. We provide very competitive airfares in all classes of service from a variety of North American gateways. Our goal is for your flight experience to be as seamless as possible. IGO group members may also elect to use their own frequent flyer miles for their international flights.

SITA is also fully committed to sustainable tourism practices and have been certified by Green Globe International in acknowledgment of our efforts. Our journeys provide the ultimate travel experience while leaving a smaller footprint.

SITA IGO Group Travel As a SITA IGO you will work with our IGO Program Manager and the SITA Group Department to develop a tour itinerary designed to meet the precise needs of your group. All SITA brochure and website itineraries are sample options.

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We Take Care of The Details Group travel is a time for enjoyment and camaraderie. We want IGO’s to be able to fully focus on their group members and have a worry free travel experience. Once the group itinerary is established SITA will handle all aspects of reservations and other details for your journey.

Extensive Range of Exciting International Itineraries SITA offers both classic and innovative journeys to international destinations worldwide. To most destinations, we offer both an array of brochured tour options plus the ability to customize and tailor an adventure to the precise needs of your group. Our brochures and website describe our vast range of international offerings. We strongly encourage all prospective IGO’s to spend time on our website getting to know SITA.

Quality Accommodations The quality of accommodation on group tours is measured by the type and standard of hotel, lodge, ship or tented camp as well as by location. On SITA itineraries you will be accommodated in carefully selected luxury, deluxe or first class accommodation, depending on the type of tour. Additionally, you will be accommodated in the most convenient user friendly locations at each destination providing the opportunity to make optimum use of free time. This factor alone separates us from many other tour companies.

Inclusive, Enriching Sightseeing Our itineraries are designed to include the most important and memorable features of each destination. Your group members will not have to continuously make decisions about whether to participate in costly optional tours. Whenever possible we take you behind the scenes to gain insight into the everyday lives and customs of the local people. Whether visiting a tribal village in southern Africa, an Estancia in Argentina, a school in Croatia or being hosted for dinner by a local family in Vietnam, we get your group ‘up-close and personal’ with the local people and culture.

Enhanced Dining Experiences On our brochure and website listed tours we include a balance of meal experiences that allow for both special dining opportunities and being able to sample the local cuisine on your own whenever it is easy and desirable to do so. Whether enjoying an open air breakfast overlooking a hippo pool in Tanzania, dinner at a moody Tango restaurant in Buenos Aires, on the terrace of a palace in India or a home hosted meal in any number of destinations, your tour will include memorable culinary experiences infused with local flavor. IGO groups are able to select the precise combination of included meal experiences desired.

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Experienced Tour Directors And Guides

Some Of Our Most Popular Group Itineraries

During the trip our skilled local and national guides will provide expert commentary. All speak excellent English and are very experienced in working with American Groups. Our national guides are also highly experienced with handling all aspects of tour operations and will coordinate all details with you as an IGO. Traveling as an IGO you can be as active as you wish in terms of Tour Director tasks during your journey. The majority of the time you will have the option of providing tour members with your undivided attention while fully enjoying the trip.

• East Africa Explorer (Kenya and Tanzania), 13 days

Personalized Marketing Support We will provide you with an exciting tour brochure to assist in selling your program to your group. You will also have special access to a ‘destination information’ section of our website. If desirable, SITA can create a dedicated website for your trip on our main SITA website. SITA can also assist, depending on location, with conducting special consumer evenings to promote your group.

• Discover Central America, 14 days (Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua) • Best of India and Nepal (deluxe and luxury), 17 days

What To Tell Your Group About SITA We suggest you advise your group members that you have chosen to travel with SITA World Tours based on multiple considerations. These include SITA’s extensive group experience, excellent value, highly inclusive sightseeing and tour pacing which reflects the ideal balance of activity and leisure. Additionally, your group’s travel experience will be enhanced by SITA’s top rated professional Tour Directors, all of whom are resident experts regarding the regions being visited. Each SITA Tour Director offers a unique insider’s perspective on local culture. Your group members should also know that SITA enjoys the highest-level industry reputation, is a member of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) and has been sharing the limitless bounty of international travel with a diverse range of group travelers for nearly 80 years.

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• Land of Maharajas, (Affordable India), 16 days • Mystic Marvels of Indochina (Vietnam and Cambodia), 12 days • Ancient Civilizations (Peru, Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Lima), 7 days • Pyramids and Palaces (Egypt, Cairo, Nile Cruise, Luxor, Abu Simbel), 10 days Visit www.sitatours.com to view our full range of tours

Frequently Asked Questions IS THERE A TYPICAL IGO PROFILE? As with the makeup of each ITMI training class, IGO’s come from all types of backgrounds. Assembling your own groups to travel to international destinations offers a distinctly alternative experience and opportunity compared to working as a tour director on assignment with a tour operator either as an employee or independent contractor. When you develop your IGO following you are in fact developing repeat customers for your own business. Successful IGO’s possess the same qualities found in successful tour directors with one important addition. They also enjoy building a following of current and new international travelers from their range of contacts and affiliations. This includes friends, family, social, fraternal, church and other organizational contacts as well as marketing efforts to the general public. A major focus target for many IGO’s will be the exploding Baby Boomer population. The combination of ITMI tour director training and on the road experience and expertise provides the ideal background for building a loyal following of repeat travelers who will be happy to travel with you to exotic international destinations. Most successful group organizers have not had the benefit of your professional training and experience so for committed ITMI trained Tour Directors the IGO opportunity is limitless. Finally, please keep in mind that developing a following for your own tours does not prevent you from accepting tour director assignments. These two travel industry opportunities can professionally co-exist, harmoniously

HOW DO MY GROUP MEMBERS MAKE THEIR RESERVATIONS? Your group members will make their reservations and all payments directly with the SITA Group Department. After you become an IGO you will be provided with a Group Number and code. Your group members will provide this information when they make their reservations.

AS AN IGO, WHAT DUTIES AM I EXPECTED TO PERFORM DURING THE TRIP? Essentially, you will be able to perform many traditional Tour Director duties in concert with your highly experienced national and local guides. Many of our national guides are also experienced Tour Directors. Their destination expertise will allow you to spend much more time focusing on the social relationship aspect of your groups experience than with a standard Tour Director assignment. This provides increased opportunities for you to

build the type of relationships with your tour members that will help insure they will want to travel with you again on future trips.

WILL MY ENTIRE GROUP BE ON THE SAME INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS? Group members departing from a common U.S. gateway on the same date will be on the same international flights, with rare exception.

IS OUR TOUR PRICE GUARANTEED? Once a group is confirmed, SITA will guarantee the tour price. Exceptions to this guarantee policy are rare major changes in currency rates or unexpected increases in taxes.

WHAT ABOUT SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS? Single supplements reflect the difference in room cost to the tour company when only one group member instead of two is occupying a room. SITA welcomes the single traveler and makes every effort including subsidization to keep single supplement charges as low as possible.

HOW CAN I BEST PROMOTE MY TRIP? Best tour promotion options are IGO and group specific. Our IGO Program manager will help you develop a promotion plan and strategy to fill your group. Typically IGO’s will send out introductory letters and emails to all possible prospects containing details of the trip. SITA will create an exciting color trip brochure in pdf format which you can provide to all group prospects as an email attachment. Hard copy brochures can also be provided. SITA can also develop a power point presentation for the promotion of your specific tour to be used at tour promotion evenings or other applicable events. Also please note the PERSONALIZED MARKETING SUPPORT section in this brochure.

WHEN DO I RECEIVE CREDIT FOR MY TRIP? SITA, unlike many other companies, does not require IGO’s to pay a deposit on their trip. Commissions and free travel earned by IGO’s are confirmed and paid when the trip is finalized, 14-30 days prior to the group’s departure.

HOW DO I BECOME AN IGO? We invite you to contact our IGO Program Manager who will be happy to assist you in becoming an IGO. Please provide us with your telephone and E-mail contact information. CONTACT: [email protected] or 800-421-5643 x1515

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ITMI IGO Compensation Program SITA IGO’s receive a 10% commission on the land portion of the tour for all group members traveling on the tour. This applies to packaged Air and Land bookings, as well as Land only bookings. Airfares are provided to groups at net costs to keep group costs as low as possible and are therefore non commissionable. Single supplement fees are not commissionable. IGO earned commissions can either be received in the form of direct commission or applied to the IGO free travel plus commission program.

If required group numbers fall short, IGO’s may travel at the tour price and may be charged a small Single Supplement fee; if no companion is traveling with them. The fee amount will be based on total group numbers. IGO commissions (10%) on the land portion of the tour are still applicable as above and may be applied to the IGO’s total tour cost.

IGO GROUP OPTIONAL TOURS With IGO groups, the IGO may arrange optional tours for their group members that are not included in the itinerary. The IGO will be solely responsible for all financial and other arrangements concerning optional tour activities for their group.

Free travel for the IGO is earned with ten (10) paid tour members doing land and air arrangements with SITA and includes IGO accommodation in a single room. The IGO also receives 10% commission on the land portion of the tour for each paid person above ten (10). Earned free air travel for IGO’s does not include air taxes and fuel surcharges.

IGO TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY

All IGO groups will have an added tour costing of $50.00 per person which will be additional compensation for the IGO regardless of the size of the group. This allows the group to have an experienced professional ITMI Graduate Tour Director lead the group from the USA. Additionally, for IGO groups, SITA will make a $50.00 per tour member donation to Tourism Cares to benefit the ITMI Scholarship Fund. Additional IGO compensation options are available for many group itineraries.

The tipping policy for IGO groups is as follows: Tips for all guides and others except for the IGO will be prepaid by tour members and included in the cost of the tour. The IGO will distribute these tips to guides and others as per SITA instruction. The IGO Tour Director is the only person tour members will need to tip.

If the IGO chooses the free travel option and chooses to have a spouse or companion share their room, whom also would travel free, the companion may only receive free air and land if the group size reaches seventeen (17) paid air and land passengers. In this case the IGO receives a 10% commission on the land portion of the tour on all paid group members above seventeen (17). If free air and land travel are desired for the IGO companion but the group size is less than the required 17 paid air and land passengers, a reduced rate will be determined for the companion based on group size, scope and the cost of the group program.

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With IGO groups, SITA will provide the IGO with a personal travel insurance policy at no cost that will be in effect for the duration of the tour in the event the IGO does not have applicable insurance. IGO GROUP TIPPING POLICY

WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM UNABLE TO GET THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF TRAVELERS NEEDED TO MAKE A GROUP? SITA offers the most flexible program in the industry in these circumstances. The IGO will still earn 10% commission, on the land portion of the tour plus the $50 IGO fee for each paid passenger regardless of group size, toward the cost of their trip. If, for example, the IGO only has seven paid group members, the IGO would receive a 70% (7 x 10%) commission credit toward the land cost of their tour plus the $50 per person. In this circumstance, if the IGO requires a single room, a partial single supplement charge may apply.

What Our Clients Say About Us “I would like to thank you for your excellent work in preparing our Brazilian tour. Everyone had a wonderful time...The group is already asking for next year’s trip.” - M. Strain

“Our trip was FABULOUS! I’ve been trying to decide what to tell you were the highlights, but I just can’t narrow it down at all. We enjoyed everywhere we went. Each destination was unique and had something different to offer. I am glad that we didn’t miss any of them. We were very well taken care of by all of SITA’s ground personnel at every location.” - L. & J. Laycraft “I have traveled throughout Asia with SITA Tours over the past several years. Not only are they efficient, conscientious and extremely professional, but also, an incredibly gracious and considerate team. My tours have been fascinating and comprehensive, encompassing numerous cultural and sightseeing activities within a timely fashion. I will plan all of my future trips with SITA - to quote the famous American Express slogan, ‘Don’t leave home without them!’ --V. Groce

“I would like to thank you and SITA Tours for an absolutely wonderful vacation. It was an adventure that I will never forget. Everyone stated what a great time they had and no one can decide if the favorite part of the trip was the cyclo ride through Hanoi, the cooking school, lantern making, or just shopping at the local markets. You planned the tour perfectly and I would not change a thing.” - Joan C.

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Your Gateway to Exotic Destinations Worldwide

CONTACT SITA’S IGO PROGRAM MANAGER: Email: [email protected] Tel: 800.421.5643 x1515 Website: www.sitatours.com/igo/itmi.pdf Address: 16250 Ventura Blvd. Suite 300, Encino, CA 91436

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