The following is taken from a letter sent to our MD, Vicky Knight:

I am writing to say a big thank you for all your support, time and effort that you contributed to an extremely successful tour of China. The students and staff had an incredible experience that we will remember for a very long time. I cannot imagine the amount of work required to make it the success it was, but thank you!

Please pass on our thanks to Alicia and Clair who worked closely with myself and other party leaders over the past 18months.

From Deputy Headmaster, Mr Tomkins

An extract from a letter to Alicia Taitt (Travelbound Sales Executive)

A massive thank you for all your hard work and constant positivity in making this trip so amazing for our students.

Natalie, Party Leader

The following is an e-mail to Sarah Giles, Travelbound Sales Executive (now a Tour Coordinator):

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for the help with setting up the tour. I will be doing my best this week to get the last 3 places filled (the kids were not in school last week due to snow).

Compared to the other tour companies I tried to deal with, you have been by far the most competitive, flexible and most professional. I really appreciate your help in helping to get this trip to happen, as I really feared that I would have to cancel after the failure of other companies to get Iceland and Morocco up and running for the agreed prices.

All the best and I am sure I will be in touch next year to arrange the 2011 trip.

Mr C Evans, Head of Key Stage 4

  

The following text is taken from a completed post-tour report form:

We have run this trip before, but with a different tour company and I have to say, we never realized how good and organized this trip could be!!! It was fantastic in every way! It was well organized before we went, with constant contact from the tour company and all my suggestions taken on board. When in New York everything was ready, organized and ran perfectly smoothly. A big thank you for helping me with a huge responsibility and giving me an amazing trip too!  

Miss Watson, Art teacher visiting New York City 

  

The following text is an e-mail to one of our fantastic sales executives, James Walker:

Many congratulations on what I presume is your promotion! Your company, and you in particular, have always been incredibly helpful and easy to work with. You really take all the stress out of organising overseas trips with dozens of students. The trips themselves are still a nightmare, but the nocturnal habits of my teenagers can hardly be your fault.

Joking aside, I have always been very impressed by the level of customer care that you have given us, and I'm sure the new person will do a great job too.

All the very best,

Mr Graves

  

James was also mentioned in the following e-mail to Sarah Giles (Sales Executive):

Thank you so much for your help so far; I have heard from another company that they will not respond to my complaint until they have sent their tour guide over to check the hotel in Rome, so having heard how close their respective businesses are to each other I will be full heartedly using your company to help organise this trip to Greece.

It is also worth stating that my boss (ex-Head of Classics) and the current Head of Classics raved about your company with the latter stating some very complimentary comments about a gentleman called James.

  

The following are quotes from just some of our satisfied cutomers:

  

Sue Atkinson (Programme Manager on first trip with Travelbound Student Tours)   

"Fantastic service, the best trip in 25 years of student travel."

  

Mr Ian Smith, Sorrento, Italy 

"I must admit that Travelbound have this market nailed as far as I'm concerned...you do a very good job and every time I use you guys I feel that you really understand our job and how difficult the organisation of these trips can be in light of the demands of teaching."

Mrs Astrid Ivkin, St Petersburg, Russia.

"Very successful with a good variety of trips and visits. Our guide (local agent) was exceptional, not just in her local knowledge, but in the way she related to our students."

Mr Bob Stone, Bay of Naples, Italy.

"The organisation went without a hitch. One or two things were different from original plans but Travelbound made the changes superbly. The hotel was very good and were excellent at catering for all our allergies. One big advantage this year was that all other school parties there were English speaking: making it easier to deal with any inter-group problems."

Mr Mathew Lowe, Megeve, France.

"An excellent trip which was well put together."

Sally Longford, Sorrento, Naples, Italy.

"It's just a fantastic area to study volcanoes and impacts of eruptions - students can't help but learn! Sorrento is a safe and pleasant resort, which my 17/18 year olds enjoyed and wanted to stay longer."

Mr Derek Scott, The French Alps, France.

"We received speedy and accurate communications. Travelbound treated my queries with courtesy. Not as if I were a nuisance! They made me feel as if the school and Travelbound were a team."

Mr Martin, Athens, Greece.

"Travelbound are a very good organisation with excellent customer service. They are also flexible and this is valued."

Mrs Gent, Prague, Czech Republic.

"Well organised - aware of the needs of a school visit."

Mr Martin Taylor, Venice, Italy.

"Travelbound provided the best experience during the booking process during the 20 years that I have been taking school trips abroad. I have used several companies but will now always seek to use your company in the first instance."

Dr Eleanor, Paris, France.

"The tour I proposed was tailor-made to meet my requirements in Paris and Alice/Travelbound made a helpful suggestion for an evening activity. When we were delayed on our way to Paris, she was a star - phoning the hotel and restaurant and seeing that we would be fed on arrival."

Mr Sean Condon, Chateau du Molay, Normandy, France.

"New Chateau managers - FANTASTIC!!! Excellent teamwork and commitment: real long-term vision obvious. Noticed a massive difference. Real dynamism and plans for development."

"Fantastic as usual! Travelbound get the job done - Brilliantly, efficiently and thoroughly. Any glitches or queries are addressed immediately and resolved."

Geraldine Bouttier, Paris, France.

"We had a great tour, excellent contact with staff and the hotel and restaurant staff were great and very helpful!"

Ms Jennifer Simms, China Tour.

"The school's first trip to China with 44 students and staff was a complete success, with children asking when I was organising the next trip even before we had landed at Heathrow! Travelbound helped us to develop an individualised itinerary, enabling us to spend more time at our partner school in Nanjing, and ensured that the trip was an amazing experience for students and staff alike."

Student Comments

"It was a life-changing experience. I never knew learning was so much fun!"

"To take in so much visually and culturally has left me, nearly one month later, still reeling."