The Travel Advisory Group plays a pivotal role in ensuring seamless travel experiences for exchange students and host families. Led by Ryan Tallman, Director of Hosting Travel Operations, the group is dedicated to refining travel processes, enhancing training, and supporting volunteers to make every student’s journey to and from the USA as smooth as possible. Here’s a closer look at their goals, achievements, and ongoing efforts to support AFS this year.
Goals for the Year: Strengthening Support and Communication
This year, the Travel Advisory Group is focused on three key objectives:
- Enhancing Online Training: Fine-tuning online training modules for Travel Representatives (TRs) to make them more accessible and effective, ensuring volunteers are well-equipped to manage travel logistics.
- Improving Communication: By collaborating with Area Teams, the group aims to streamline travel-related communications with host families and exchange students, ensuring clarity and timeliness.
- Supporting Volunteer Transitions: Working with Area Teams to develop transition plans for new Travel Representatives, providing support to volunteers stepping into this critical role.
Achievements from Last Year: Building a Stronger Foundation
The Travel Advisory Group focused last year on their commitment to improving volunteer support and travel efficiency:
- Enhanced Training Resources: Added hot links to detailed “how-to” instructions and videos within their training PowerPoint presentations, making resources more interactive and user-friendly.
- Improved Collaboration: By strengthening collaboration with Area Team Travel Representatives, volunteer preparation has been enhanced for arrival and departure processes.
These achievements were shaped by direct input from local volunteers, whose questions and feedback were the driving force behind the improved training modules. “Most of our ‘how-to’ instructions were developed in response to the difficulties expressed by volunteers,” says Tallman, highlighting the group’s responsiveness to Area Team needs.
The Hosting Travel Evolution Project: A Game-Changer
One of the group’s most transformative initiatives is the Hosting Travel Evolution Project, which transitioned AFS from a Gateway Model to a Through-Ticket Model. Previously, students transited through major U.S. hubs like New York, Chicago or LAX, which often complicated travel. The Through-Ticket Model allows sending AFS partners (for example AFS Italy, or AFS India) to book flights directly to an airport within two hours of the host community, creating more efficient and flexible travel options.
The introduction of mini-gateways paved the way for this shift, offering smaller airport hubs that expanded travel possibilities. “Through-Ticketing eliminated the problems associated with our old gateway system,” Tallman explains. “Students now travel on a single ticket, with routes determined by sending partners in collaboration with host families and Travel Representatives.”
Tackling Challenges: Volunteer Support and School Schedules
The Travel Advisory Group faces several challenges, with volunteer changes and responsibility changes topping the list. Some Area Teams lack sufficient support, and finding new volunteers while getting them trained up in time for arrivals can be difficult. The group addresses these challenges by providing a clear, easy-to-follow training and ongoing support before and during travel events, ensuring volunteers feel confident in their roles.
School start and end dates also pose logistical challenges. With varying schedules across U.S. school districts, aligning student arrivals and departures can be complex. Late placements, incomplete paperwork, and visa delays further complicate matters. To address this, AFS uses two fixed arrival and departure dates to streamline planning for sending partners and volunteers while balancing host family preferences.
Join the Travel Advisory Group: Opportunities for Volunteers
The Travel Advisory Group is always seeking new members to strengthen its efforts. Volunteers with experience in international travel, knowledge of airports, and volunteers who have had a role as a AFS Travel Representative are especially valuable. Additionally, individuals with expertise in the travel industry or skills in designing and implementing training programs are encouraged to join.
Looking Ahead: A Commitment to Connection
By refining training, improving communication, and embracing innovative travel models, the Travel Advisory Group’s work helps ensure that exchange students and host families are supported during arrivals and departures.
Who the Travel Advisory Group Needs
Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or new to AFS, there’s an opportunity to make a difference with the Travel Advisory Group. If you have been an AFS Travel Rep, have experience in the travel industry or enjoy creating training materials and videos, we would love to hear from you!
Interested in joining? Fill out the National Council Volunteer Interest Form to learn more about volunteer opportunities and how you can contribute to the AFS mission at a national level.