Generally speaking, a study tour includes following stages: enrollment, preparation work, departure and return. Adequate communication will be conducted with students and parents who are interested and their suggestions and feedback will be taken seriously. Taking the overall situation of this year in consideration, we find that what the parents pay most attention to are the contents and quality of the course design, general arrangement of the tour and the services offered in the process as the rationality of course design, effectiveness of international study tour, the reliability of the families which provide accommodation and the safety issue throughout the whole tour. In contrast, what the students attach most importance are the content of course design and the general arrangement of the tour such as the richness of the courses and the interestingness of the tour.
Trend No.1 More and more parents and students pay more attention to the content, quality and effectiveness of international study tours.
Nowadays, both students and their parents are no longer satisfied with tour in its traditional sense. Instead, they want to know more about the differences in education between China and foreign countries through such kind of study tour programs. For instance, there is a program called “Experience Camp for Classroom Education in American Primary and Middle School” in which students from china and those from America will attend together optional courses covering such subjects as physics, chemistry, history, physical exercise and so on. Through this program, students can have a deep impression of the richness of optional courses in America and experience classroom education of America in its real sense. In addition, through this study tour, students can also cultivate a better understanding of foreign cultures and begin to pursue their own dreams.
Trends No.2 Enrollment time comes earlier and earlier
In general, international study tours are launched in a row form Spring Festival to May, while the winter camps are usually launched from August to December. As study tour program are becoming more and more popular nowadays, many parents enroll their children for international study tour at a time earlier and earlier to make sure that their children successfully take part in the program they like the most. This year, some summer camp tours are fully filled before Spring Festival. To meet the needs of more students and their parents, additional programs have been launched.
As it is increasingly difficult to enroll for some programs bound for popular countries, the enrollment time for some programs are advanced for about a month. Therefore Miss Liu suggests that when in choice of study tour programs, parents should get prepared as early as possible and make enrollment ahead of time. Only in this way can their children manage to get enrolled for a satisfied study tour program.
Trend No.3 diversification of international study tour in the whole market
With an increasing number of students choosing to take a study tour, the study tour market is more competitive than ever. Most training institutions continuously diversify their summer study tour programs. “Take the New Oriental for example, as to the summer study tour programs, in addition to such traditional programs as paying a visit to renowned universities and English study, a variety of new programs have been launched.” The deputy director of the Promotion and Management Centre of International Study Tour in New Oriental Liu Ting said that “Programs for professional planning includes Training Camp Leadership Development and Training Camp for MBA Professional Planning. Programs for real experience includes a variety of Experience Camps including Experience Camp for Classroom Education in American Primary and Middle School, Experience Camp for Classroom Education in Australia plus Outward-bound Experience Camp and so on.”
Trend No.4: the routines of international study tour are more customized to student’s needs.
Study tour institutions adjust their programs and add new items every year to suit the changing demand of students and their parents. In 2011, study tour programs on the market are more specific than before. And most of the programs have different focuses. Study tours to U.K and the U.S are still very popular but many students and parents are starting to consider programs to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. And U.K and the U.S programs start to includesmall unique cities into their routines besides big cities like London and Los Angeles. Parents are more willing to let their children go to other destinations, hoping they can experience more local cultures and broaden their horizon.
