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• Over 10 years Experience in high quality soccer & tours
Planning your Tour
SELECTING A TOUR COMPANY
• When planning your Soccer Tour, your key decision is which Tour Operator to choose to arrange the tour. Cost is a factor, but not the critical one. Tour Value is more important than Tour Cost.
• Verify that the Company is not just a competent Tour Operator, but can guarantee the very specific content for a Soccer Tour. Many people can take you to Rome , but can they organize Friendly Games for a very strong Under 14 Girls team, for example?
• The Athletic Center has over 10 years experience in sector of soccer related travels. Our headquarters are in and we have excellent contacts in each affiliated country which will ensure that all arrangements are perfect, providing a great experience.
• Make sure that your travel company takes proper care of their clients (you and all the members of the group) and if they can be trusted. You are dealing with a great deal of money and must protect each participant.
• Contacting Group Leaders who have already traveled with a Company is a good way of checking their competence and reliability. Action Youth will provide a bona-fides list (authentic credentials) of recent group contacts.
• Although soccer is probably the original reason to travel, education is important too – for both the young people and the adults. Action Youth tours offer much more quality with creative educational and cultural content, and top-class Tour Directors.
GETTING YOUR GROUP TOGETHER
• Regular parents' and players' meetings and time consuming are important. So, establish a small and dynamic Trip Committee to do most of the planning – with specific functions like Secretary, Treasurer, Fund-Raising, Coach and Contact Person who communicates with the Tour Company.
• At group meetings, key decisions such as travel dates, budget, and tour preferences should be established. Make sure that every member understands and agrees with these decisions, especially the Tour Costs. This will make it easier to plan the tour details.
• Publicize the key Payment Dates and collect early Tour Deposits – this will establish exactly who intends to go and who does not.
• Establish a Tour Bank Account, to receive the group members’ payments & transfer funds.
• Get all the parents’ email addresses in order to communicate quickly. Also send attachments concerning the Tour Itinerary, useful websites, and Insurance and Tour up-dates.
DECIDE WHICH TOUR IS FOR YOU
•DATES: Decide which dates suit your own commitments and availability. For example, check school vacations, holidays and others.
•PLAN WELL AHEAD: Allow enough lead-in time to plan your tour and raise funds: we suggest you plan one year ahead of the tour departure date, certainly for international tours.
•TYPE OF TOUR: Do you want a Tournament Tour or a Friendship Tour? Remember, the major International Tournaments are in summer, with a few at Easter. Winter, Spring Break and Easter Tours are less expensive, and Pro Games are in full swing across Europe , but the weather is poor. Notice the standard of your team – Select, Club or Recreational – and the level of the Competition that would be suitable for you. We can guide you on this important subject.
•TOUR COSTS: Decide with your group your maximum Tour Budget. This factor alone may well decide which tours are possible. Be realistic and ensure you all agree.
•CUSTOMISE A TOUR: Remember, we can always adapt any tour to suit your own criteria concerning, for example, Tour Dates, Budget, Inclusions or Destinations.
•DESTINATIONS: Choose between the main options. Brazil is the home of soccer and provides a fabulous choice of destinations for sightseeing & cultural attractions as well as world-class soccer experiences. If you prefer a shorter journey, or a Soccer Vacation in the sun, with a tournament, then look at Rio de Janeiro or Northeast Region.
MAKING A TOUR ENQUIRY
• Elect a Tour Contact person, who is a good e-mailer, to communicate on behalf of the group.
• Once you have decided your main criteria – Dates, Duration, Type of Tour and Tour Budget - go to "Contact Us" (see top right of page), and complete the E-Enquiry Form. Try to be as detailed as possible with regard to your Team, the Group Size, Tour Dates and Choices.
• Athletic Center will then forward specific details on your Tour Choices for you to present to your group members and parents, leading eventually to a firm Tour Proposal & Costs.
• Once you are happy with the information and costs, it is decision-time – have a Group Meeting to discuss the details and reach an early conclusion on your tour. Early booking is always very helpful – this allows maximum time for fund-raising and best choice of flights and hotels.
Booking information
BOOKING INFORMATION
Every group will receive a Booking Form and Tour Proposal which highlights the main financial and cancellation details. The Booking Form should be signed and returned to us, meaning a contract with Athletic Center , on behalf of your whole group.
The tour deposit of $250 per person is non-refundable.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Your Tour Proposal will outline your specific groups’ payment schedule, usually the following applies:
CANCELLATION
This is clearly important in your Groups Tour Proposal, ensure every group member receives a copy, usually the following cancellation policy applies:-
* NB - If separate airlines tickets are issued for you due to a deviation, then these tickets are non-refundable as well as the cancellation penalties above.
INSURANCE
The Athletic Center strongly advises all travelers to take out Insurance for their Brazil Tour which covers game participation. Athletic Center has a very suitable policy available, or you can research your own policies. It is your responsibility to be properly insured for your trip. The Athletic Center takes no responsibility in any circumstance or issue covered by insurance (including cancellation).
TEAM TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
All teams need to apply for "Permission to Travel" from your State or Provincial Soccer Association, who can provide Application Forms & details.
PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
Every person traveling to needs to have a valid Passport, even small children, so apply at least 6 months before travel. It may be necessary for some members of your group to apply for a visa to enter, and specific information is readily available on the Embassy website of each country. Each group member must give their official passport name to their group leader at least 12 weeks before travel. The names on the Airline tickets must be identical to the official Passport Names. If airline tickets are printed incorrectly with spelling errors or correct names not being supplied, then a fee will need to be paid in order to get a new airline ticket. We go through an extensive checking process so hopefully this can be avoided!
MEDICAL & TRAVEL RELEASE FORM
We suggest you ask all parents to sign a form before allowing their child to travel permitting them to be treated in case of injury or illness while the tour. This is not a procedure which Athletic Center need, but we have found through long experience that it is very useful to have the back-up of such a document. Important medical and contact information could be included, as could the permission of the parents to hospitalize a child in , especially if neither parent is traveling with the child. Athletic Center will supply you with Sample Document which you can modify, but that is your responsibility.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
The Athletic Center acts only as an agent to the owners, suppliers and contractors providing transportation, accommodations and any other services related to this tour. The Group Leader, by signing the Booking Form, agrees on behalf of The Group, that Athletic Center shall not become liable or responsible for additional expenses, injury or damage to person or property in connection with any transportation, accommodations, excursions, or other services resulting directly or indirectly from Acts of God, terrorism, damages incidental to flight, fire, acts of government or other causes beyond the direct control of Athletic Center.
ACCEPTABLE CONDUCT
Each member of your group not only represents their family but also their team and, by extension, their country, as well as themselves as individuals. How individuals conduct themselves both within the group or their own reflects on everyone's reputations. Drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, peer pressure and curiosity combine to tempt all people no matter what age. Players are to be aware that being caught with any of these can have serious consequences both for themselves and the group. Penalties will be discussed with group leaders & parents or guardians and will be consistent throughout the trip. Drugs will not be tolerated. You may wish, therefore, an "Acceptable Conduct Form" which each player signs before the trip to promise not to engage in this kind of unacceptable or anti-social behavior.
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