
It seems that everyone has a social media account or two (or three or four...) these days! I love to use social media to recruit new travelers, share information with my enrolled travelers, and post pictures and updates while on tour.
I created a Facebook "page" for my travel program called Raider World Traveler, where I post announcements about upcoming tours, reminders to enrolled travelers and LOTS of pictures while on tour. Facebook is a great place to interact with parents about all tour happenings. Check out my Facebook page!
According to my students, Facebook is for "old people." So, to reach my students, I use twitter. I share all the same information on both Twitter and Facebook. In fact-- you can write one post and share it to both platforms to save time! To reach the students, I have to go to where the students are...and you can always find them on social media (just not Facebook!). :)

Google Drive. I use google drive to store ALL my files for recruitment meetings, pre-departure meeting, group lists, pictures from previous tours, etc.
Google Sheets. Google sheets works just like Microsoft Excel, and I use it to record my group members passport and contact information.
Google Forms. I love using a Google Form to collect important information from my group members before departure. Click here to check out the Traveler Info Form I use to find out some very important information from my travelers after they enroll. Feel free to steal it, and edit to fit your needs (just remember to make a copy first).
Google Calendar. Make sure that your travelers never miss a pre-departure meeting by sending them calendar appointments using Google Calendar. You can set up reminders and notifications that help them remember your important events.

Using Flipgrid my travelers create a 30 second video introducing themselves, and explaining what they are most excited about seeing/doing on our upcoming tour. I share the link to our "grid" and all travelers can begin to put a name to face, and get to know each other before our tour departs.
For me, one of the best features of Flipgrid is that the travelers don't have to create an account, they just click on the link that you share an record from their device. It is so quick and easy! Click here to check out Flipgrid, and create your first "grid" today!


What is Remind? Remind is a free(!) web based text messaging service that allows your student to sign up to receive text messages from you. When you set up a "class" in Remind, students opt into receiving text messages by using a code provided by Remind.com. They cannot see your phone number, and you cannot see theirs. It is a safe and reliable way to communicate with your travelers, by using a method that we all know they will see instantaneously--text message.