We hope you all had a chance to enjoy the holidays with your friends and family and are as excited as we are about what is to come for 2023!

Last fall, Junior Tours saw a surge in the number of travel bookings. Groups are traveling in larger sizes as attractions have reopened to full capacity.  Availability calendars with airlines and hotels are filling quickly for the spring and summer.

2024 PRICING IS NOW AVAILABLE! 
As we flipped the calendar to a new year, we’re excited to announce Junior Tours is officially accepting reservations for the Fall 2023/Spring 2024 to our most popular destinations like New York City and Washington D.C. Stay a step ahead of your surrounding schools and start booking now. By starting early, you will receive our early bird pricing. It will also allow your community more to fundraise and save.   We’re anticipating another busy year of travel and those who start first always make out the best.

Call us at 1-800-631-2241 to discuss your plans with a one of our seasoned travel professionals OR submit your request here to receive a free quote and itinerary.

JUNIOR TOURS GOES INTERNATIONAL
In just a few weeks, we will also be releasing more information about the return of our London Theater and Montreal/Quebec Cultural Immersion tours.  With the lift of all vaccine and travel restrictions, Junior Tours is excited to be offering these very popular tour packages again. Stay tuned to our JT Newsletter in the upcoming weeks for detailed itineraries and package pricing.

With everyone at Junior Tours focused on providing you and your students the best all-inclusive overnight student tours, we promise these upcoming tours will be your best yet. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you all in the upcoming months.

The holiday season can both exhilarating and demanding at the same time.   Take a deep breath and make sure to reflect on the important things in life.   Today, we would like to take the opportunity to say thanks to our extended family of loyal travelers for your enduring support.  We wish everyone bundles of joy and good fortune for the holidays and the New Year 😊

Here are a few links to some timely information making headlines today:

CLICK HERE for a live peak of what’s happening at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

CLICK HERE for the history of how the Times Square Ball has evolved over its 114 year history.

CLICK HERE for a complete listing of all College Bowl matchups and schedule.

CLICK HERE to read the transcript of FDR’s speech as he described “December 7^th, 1941 A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

CLICK HERE for an update on the extension until 2025 requiring REAL ID to travel.

CLICK HERE for information about our London Theatre Tour.  We are re-introducing this popular tour package again in January 2023.  Details to follow.

CLICK HERE for last minute holiday travel ideas and deals.

CLICK HERE to request information about planning your next trip with Junior Tours.

Here’s message from our Director of Orlando Operations, Debra Lisser:

“I just returned from a visit to Orlando, Florida and I can see why people say it is the ‘happiest place on Earth’. It was incredible returning to Disney World and Universal Studios to see so many students riding the coasters, partaking in workshops, marching along the parade routes, and getting to enjoy travel at its best!”

There a few new programs to note at both Disney and Universal Studios:

Disney has launched Disney’s Imagination Campus. They now focus workshops that apply to Performing Arts (vocal , instrumental, dance and stage performances), Arts and Humanities (theme park design), Science and Technology and Leadership.  There is definitely something relevant and educational for all types of groups! Reservations are required for park entry. Workshops are booking very quickly so don’t delay if you are considering a trip for your students in 2023.

Universal Studios has truly become a multi-day destination with their 3 theme parks and the ease of getting back and forth to each.   Definitely a great alternative to Disney! They have also expanded their programs and offer workshops in sound design, stage performances, storytelling, culinary and business.

There is still time to make all your students wishes come true this school year. Please contact us or email us today to get an updated tour quote. November 30th is the last day to lock in our current prices. Don’t wait another day. We are here to answer your questions, concerns, and/or requests for assistance getting started. We have fundraisers, posters, forms and other promotional materials ready to share.

We thank you all for your continued support.

Have a great Wednesday…just 15 more days until Thanksgiving!

We are excited to share the news that the application period for SYTA Youth Foundation Road Scholarship Program is now open!

The program awards funds (usually $500 to $1000) to youth who are unable to afford the cost of travel. Scholarships are awarded to nominees after reviewing applications submitted by educators, program leaders, or designated school officials. Criteria for consideration is based on five criteria:

• Achievement: Accomplishment in the student/groups area of focus
• Need: Financial, cultural, linguistic, homelife hardship
• Initiative/Involvement: Preparation financially and/or through enrichment activities
• Service: Student citizenship within the classroom or community. Family service in military or as first responder also considered.
• Connection: Relevance to student/group’s area of focus

More information, including how to nominate a student and simple FAQ about the program can be found HERE. All applications must be submitted by November 11th.

In other news, we returned from TxETA’s annual conference in Galveston, TX where Junior Tours was awarded top Vendor of the Year! It was such a thrill to share this honor with so many teachers who have been traveling with us for decades. Thank you all again for your support, it was a very special evening!

New School Year, Fresh Start…
It’s time to setup an amazing trip for your students!

Welcome back to the JT Journal, where we will share valuable tips about planning student tours, special promotions, as well as the latest news in travel.

Junior Tours is your personal concierge for student travel.  We will handle every detail of travel planning.   We’ve got all your bases covered:

• Affordable Prices – we also assist with free fundraisers for students.
• Teacher Incentives – teachers travel free, plus receive a travel stipend and loyalty reward points.
• Flexible Scheduling – the Junior Tours Promise gives you peace of mind about traveling in uncertain times.
• Insurance – parents can purchase insurance which will allow them to cancel their trip for any reason and receive a refund.
• Impeccable Customer Service – no automated attendants or pushy sales people when you call.  We are family operated business with reputation for total transparency and integrity.

New for this year: We have a brand new registration/payment portal with an expanded Group Leader Dashboard.  It’s mobile friendly and allows you to centralize all tour related administration and communications.

Special Promotion: Book your tour now and we will immediately mail you a Travel Swag Bag valued at more than $200.

Contact us today for a free quote or email us to help you get started.

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week!
This week, we want to celebrate all of YOU! The Fantastic Teachers and Educators of the World!

In honor of your special week, we are giving away two deep tissue muscle massagers!

To enter into our giveaway, we ask that you visit our blog here and tell us your favorite book you have read in the past year. This can be a book shared with your class, family, book club or read on your own time. Feel free to share more than more than one if you have multiple favorite books!

Two lucky winners will randomly be selected on Monday May 9th and notified via email of their winnings.

We wish you all the best and hope you all enjoy your week about YOU!

” A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite imagination and instill a love of learning”
~Brad Henry

New York City has so much to offer any school group looking for an amazing educational experience. For theater and drama students though, there is no substitute for visiting the Great White Way. Seeing your first Broadway show is a seminal moment in any young, aspiring actor’s life. The ground-breaking performances, imaginative staging and breathtaking costumes are second to none. Our NYC drama itineraries include tickets to some of the best hit shows on Broadway.  This year our groups have seen or are going to see:
– Aladdin
– Beetlejuice
– Come From Away
– Dear Evan Hansen
– Hadestown
– Harry Potter
– KPOP
– Lion King
– MJ The Musical
– Moulin Rouge
– Mrs. Doubtfire
– Six
– Wicked
– Along with many off Broadway Shows

In addition to including tickets to these hit shows, we will also include the opportunity for your students to participate in a Musical Theatre workshop with an actor from one of the Broadway show (s) you will see. It’s an incredible opportunity to work with a professional actor and an experience your students will never forget.  We also offer many other terrific workshops including:
– Starting Out: Improvisation for the Unsuspecting
– Next Level Improvisation
– Professional Audition Experience
– Stage Combat
– Theatre Tech Workshop
– On Camera Workshop
– 11 O’Clock Number
– Broadway Musicals and The Joy of Singing in Them
– Okay, I’m Singing, But What Do I Do with My Hands?

Lastly, no New York City Drama Tour would be complete without touring some of NYC’s world-famous theaters.  Subject to availability, our groups have access to backstage tours of:
– Apollo Theater
– Carnegie Hall
– Hudson Theater
– Lincoln Center
– New Amsterdam Theater
– Radio City Music Hall

With the relaxation of the vaccine mandate, shows and tours are filling quickly. Don’t wait, contact Junior Tours today for a NYC Drama Tour quote and itinerary. This experience could be life changing for your students!

Planning your next trip with Junior Tours just got a whole lot easier! We’re excited to announce that we have a new website for online registration and payments. There are many awesome new features that will make it a breeze to organize your trip with Junior Tours.

Some highlights include:
– Mobile Friendly App that allows you to email or text your whole group, or just a filtered list based on any criteria that you select.
– Accepts both credit card and Bank ACH payments.
– Monitor the payments and balances outstanding for all tour participants.
– TripMate insurance options are integrated directly into registration process.
– Dashboard showing the people who have paid, people who owe money, people who are on a waitlist and people who have canceled.
– Emergency Contact information for every tour participant is instantly accessible.
– Manages lists for airlines, bus, hotel, chaperones, etc.
– And much more!

Bottom line, we know how valuable your time is. Our new website is designed to make it simple to organize the details of the tour and relieve you from the responsibility of collecting money from the parents.

This past week and upcoming weeks many schools are on break and out enjoying travel. During this time, Junior Tours will welcome more groups to Boston, New York City, Washington D.C. and Orlando than we had in the last three months combined. As they return, many group leaders will immediately begin the push to setup next year’s travel plans. They are keenly aware of how beneficial it is start planning early.

Your school calendar will quickly fill up with other activities and trips. It is very important to announce your travel plans to your students before others do. Just planting a seed this time of year is usually all it takes to ensure success ;-). This is particularly true now, as mask and vaccine mandates are being lifted nationwide. People want to get back to the way things were before the pandemic, and travel is at the top of their list.

Rising costs are another important reason to plan now. There is an expectation that inflation will linger in our economy for some time. It is a smart idea to lock in prices now.

And another great reason to plan ahead early- Junior Tours will include: ONE ADDITIONAL FREE CHAPERONE if you book your trip now and make a deposit by October 1st. The extra free tour can be used for a colleague or it can be used as a scholarship for a deserving student.

Don’t wait! Contact Junior Tours today. Our team of travel professionals is ready to assist you every step of the way. We will provide your students the absolute best travel experience at an affordable price. We will handle all of the details and make you look like a rockstar in front of your parents, students and administration.