How EF builds safety and support into our educational tours
At EF, safety is non-negotiable. We’d never send a traveller to a location we believe to be unsafe—and with our extensive global presence, our industry experience, and our close working relationships with Canadian and international authorities, that’s a statement we can back up.
Our Tour Directors are with our EF groups from the first day of travel until they head home, offering around-the-clock support and communication with Group Leaders. We maintain a local presence in nearly every destination we travel to, so we can tap into an on-the-ground perspective or engage additional helping hands 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
With our 55+ years of operational experience, we’re prepared for any scenario—from individual emergencies to itinerary changes to global pandemics. Hear what Group Leaders and parents have to say about safety on tour with EF.
Group Leaders know we have a back-up plan (for our back-up plan)
Whether it’s a medical emergency, a route change, or a flight delay, our Group Leaders have the confidence in EF to know exactly what to do in any given situation:
EF Tours Canada follows guidance from the Government of Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada when creating safety policies.
“EF has a back-up plan for their backup plan. When something goes wrong, I don’t worry about it. Buses break down, hotels have issues. They’ve experienced this 100 times. I’ve never seen anything EF hasn’t already encountered and already had a plan to deal with. That’s why I’m confident and excited to travel with EF.”
— Floyd P., Group Leader, Nova Scotia
Guidance from our Tour Directors goes a long way
Medical emergencies aren’t the only kinds of issues we’ve handled. Our Tour Directors have the foresight to plan ahead, too. On a trip to Florence, Ontario Group Leader Bill B. saw firsthand how his Tour Director changed one of his group’s routes on the ground to avoid burgeoning conflict:
“There was an echo in the morning of some kind of political unrest in the city square. Our Tour Director was able to navigate us around any sort of hot zones. I know from experience that the people that EF has on the ground have their pulse on what’s going on. They know how to navigate and circumvent issues before they can arise.”
— Bill B., Group Leader, Ontario
As trained guides on the language of travel (who can navigate the local language as well), no one is better equipped to lead the way. Frankly, Tour Directors are the best part of any EF trip. Erin A., a Group Leader from Ontario, says they’re instrumental to the tour experience:
“I’ve never been on a tour where the Tour Directors weren’t top notch. There was never a time where I felt like I was all by myself in this, because I knew there were so many people behind the scenes orchestrating getting us out of any situation we were in.”
— Erin A., Group Leader, Ontario
We go above and beyond to support parents when their kids are on tour
When parent Lisa M. received a call from EF and heard her daughter was sick on a trip to Poland, she was undoubtedly worried. Her daughter needed to be accompanied back home to Newfoundland for further care, but Lisa never once doubted EF’s ability to arrange all the details:
Our Safety and Incident Response Team includes industry and healthcare experts who are always ready to spring into action with 24-hour emergency service.
“I flew over [to Poland] with no issue. When I got to the airport in Krakow, EF had a representative holding a card with my name on it. They went to the hospital with me where [my daughter] was, stayed with me until I could see her, and took me to the hotel they had set up for me. Even once we got back home, dealing with the insurance was a piece of cake. EF reimbursed me for everything. The cell phone bill was taken care of. It didn’t cost me a cent. Normally, you don’t expect that.”
— Lisa M., parent, Newfoundland
With our 24-hour emergency service, we’re always a phone call away—and it goes both ways. Whether we need to contact parents, or parents need to contact us, there’s always someone ready to assist you. Because on an educational tour, safety is always our #1 priority.
Topics: How it Works, Tour Planning, Parent Story, What to Expect on Tour, Safety on tour