Educational Adventures is a specialist group travel business of ITC Pacific, a leading Australian wholesaler/tour operator. We have been coordinating student educational experiences for Australian school and university students for over 26 years. We specialise in customised group ski trips, cultural adventures, study tours, sports, and special interest programmes.

We are proud to send over 3,000 students on unforgettable trips each year to both southern and northern hemisphere destinations, with 95% being under 18 years of age. 66% of students participate on sports and cultural programmes, with 34% participating in study and special interest tours. ITC Pacific has a team of 48, with our Educational Adventures business generating 20% of the total company turnover. Our main international destinations are Japan, USA, Canada, and SE Asia. Our head office is in Brisbane, Australia, with recently established companies in New Zealand, USA, and Canada. Educational Adventures is also a DMC, assisting with the design and coordination of programmes in both Australia and New Zealand.

1. Can you elaborate a little more on who you are and how Educational Adventures started?

The first student group our company coordinated was a domestic ski trip in 1995 under our brand Sno’n’Ski Tours. Since that time, our group division has become the largest coordinator of school student domestic and international ski trips in Australia. Over the years our schools constantly ask if we did non-ski student programmes, and in 2018 we launched our brand Educational Adventures, which now coordinates all our student group programmes.

2. What excites you the most about sending students to participate in travel programmes abroad?

Real life Learning outside the classroom for students is an important part of a student’s personal development. Our international trips view students as global ambassadors with the opportunity to engage on educational and expedition programmes, bonding with their student colleagues, and making friends for life. A teacher’s greatest rewards is seeing the smiles on their students faces.

3. You have been in business for a few years now. How do you think you have had to adapt to changing travel trends and stay relevant in the youth travel industry?

We undertake significant research into the student group travel sector through different sources, such as BONARD. This enables us to understand the changing trends, characteristics, and challenges with this growing sector. Understanding the changing requirements of risk, crisis and data security management in this sector is essential in trying to protect the financial and emotional investment school students make in their trips.

4. Sustainable travel is also a growing trend. What approach do you employ to engage with your guests or travellers on these matters?

This is ever evolving with the policies guided by all stakeholders. In all instances, we strive to meet the objectives of the stakeholders.

5. What sets you and your business apart from its competitors?

Being a family company, we bring family values and commitment that is respected by our peers. Our adoption of best business practices, and advanced operational systems, underpins our success. However, it is our team that sets us apart from our competitors.