Should we worry about our daughter’s trip?
My 17-year-old daughter (soon to be 18) wants to go on a student trip to Cuba with her girlfriend over March break. I found out that the trip has not been arranged or sanctioned by my daughter’s school; it has been arranged by a group of the students through a travel agency for anyone in the graduating class that wishes to go. Although my daughter is extremely mature and responsible for her age, I have some concerns as this would be the first time my daughter would be travelling without my wife and me, and, of course, as a parent, you worry about what young adults can get themselves into on these sorts of trips.
Is there any guidance you can provide to assist us in making our decision as to whether we should allow our daughter to go on this trip?
Your concerns as a parent are totally understandable and there are a few things you can look into and questions you can ask to help you make an informed decision about whether this would be a good opportunity and positive experience for your daughter.
I would start with the travel agency involved in arranging the student trip. Look on its website or visit the travel agency and ask questions: Does the travel agency specialize in student travel and have a good track record? Is the travel company properly registered in Ontario with TICO to ensure you have consumer protection? Will the travel company have representatives travelling with the group and staying at the destination to offer appropriate assistance and supervision during the duration of the trip? What will the ratio be of students to travel agency representatives? What policies do the representatives follow to ensure they are checking that all students are accounted for each day?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! A reputable company will be able to provide answers and advise about its policies around safety issues, such as venturing off the resort property at night.
Take the time to ask the representative of the travel company about what travel services are included in the package and who is supplying the services (airline(s), accommodation, transfers), as well as what services or provisions are not included in the package. Ensure that you are satisfied with the services, including the standard of accommodation that is being offered. It is important that you and your daughter consider that different living standards and practices may exist outside Canada, including but not limited to the provision of utilities, such as water and electricity, accommodations, services, food and food preparation and water quality. You should also be aware of any local laws that could have any bearing on the trip . . . for example, at what age can someone legally consume alcohol there.
Most travel companies that spe- cialize in student travel will have extensive terms and conditions for the travel services being purchased and may also include terms and conditions regarding student conduct and rules that must be followed when the students are travelling. As your daughter is not yet 18 years old, you may be asked to provide consent for your daughter to travel as well as acknowledge and agree to all the terms and conditions and rules of conduct on behalf of your daughter. The document will likely state that the travel company or its employees are not responsible for the student or their actions while she is travelling. Ensure you review and familiarize yourself with the contents of this document!
If you do allow your daughter to travel, I can’t stress enough the importance of purchasing cancellation and medical insurance.
Also, it’s important she brings with her an adapter for her cellphone or tablet; many countries have different size plugs and voltage and you always want to make sure you can charge these items to maintain communications.
Encourage your daughter to stay in touch with family and friends back home, whether by email, social networking or by phone. Encourage her to maintain a buddy system with her group of friends while she is travelling.
After doing some research, speaking with a representative from the travel company and maybe some of the other parents involved, you as a parent can determine whether the trip would be a suitable experience for your daughter. That is your decision alone to make. Travel is an adventure and with adventure comes all types of opportunities for growth and experience, good or bad. It’s the memories that can last a lifetime. Dorian Werda is vice-president, opera- tions for the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO), a non-profit corporation that regulates 2,500 travel retailers and wholesalers registered in Ontario. Send your travel questions to travel@thestar.ca. Not all questions can be answered.