1. Make a list, check it twice
Behold the power of a good old-fashioned list. We know it's a no-brainer. You make one for your groceries, you make one for your holiday shopping, so why not compile a to-do list for your trip?
No need to be fancy. Making a list of what you need to complete before your trip departs can make a drastic difference and can help you avoid any last minute scrambling.
sample checklist:
-passports and visas (if required)
-luggage tags
-eKit phone and instructions
-emergency contact list or phone tree for parents
-set a meeting place and time for the day of departure flights
-notify bank and/or credit card companies that you'll be using your card overseas
2. Know your itinerary
Whether you've selected a tour from our catalog or if you've compiled a custom tour with the help of your tour consultant, ACIS provides you with a day-by-day itinerary. Becoming familiar with your itinerary early on will help tremendously down the road. Your itinerary will also help you ask your tour consultant the right questions before you venture abroad.
You may lead similar trips from year to year, but if your itinerary is brand new to you, ask yourself the following questions or reach out to your personal tour consultant to get them answered: What sites, monuments and museum entrances are included? Am I traveling during any important holidays that may cause changes in hours or closings? How much free-time is built into my itinerary?
3. Archive your research
You may be scouring the internet for information about the destinations you'll visit on tour. The web is packed with information, but it can get pretty overwhelming. Archiving the research you find on the web is really convenient though as many websites allow you to email yourself articles and blog posts. You can also bookmark your pages into your browser or copy & paste content into a Word document for easy storage.
If you're feeling technically brave, take your organizational skills to the next level by downloading the gliider extension for FireFox. We like that gliider lets you drag and drop content from any website into a handy tool. Gliider is accessible from your Firefox browser and comes with pre-set folders like shopping, food & drink, see, do, and more. You can even add your own folders for additional storage and link your research with your Facebook page.
4. Ask your tour manager
Overseas, your tour manager can be your best asset. Your tour manager works hard to make sure you spend your time overseas wisely and that includes making modifications to the itinerary as you see fit. Your tour manager manages all the small details like transportation, meals, and can make suggestions on what to see and do during any available free-time.
To truly stay organized, communicate regularly with your tour manager.
5. Make notes as you travel
Be your own resource for future trips by carrying a small notebook and pen with you as you travel. As you come across authentic restaurants, lively neighborhoods, quaint streets or great souvenir shops, jot down all the amazing things you see and do. Be specific by including street names, neighborhoods, and train or bus stops.
For your future trips or for recommendations for friends and family, you'll be able to refer back to your notes to pinpoint exactly where you enjoyed the best crêpe in Paris or tapas in Madrid.
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My Account helps you manage your trip details and keeps your participants up-to-date on the latest tour news from payment deadlines to flight information and more. Here's our ranking for top features that help group leaders save time during the months leading up to your trip:
Participant List: We know you have more than your share of details to manage in both your personal and professional lives. Your participant list within My Account is an easy to scan and manage list of details that includes rooming requests, payments, credits, balances due, and protection plan options for each individual.
Email Group: Within the Email Group function, your group's personal email addresses are automatically imported. All you have to do is type your message and click send.
