Big production
A tour operator compares a student trip to a musical performance
By Bob Rouse
Q. What service or benefit do you provide that a
client normally might not know to ask for?
Omanson: Most of our new clients come to us because of
bad experiences they have had traveling with other providers.
Many of them were sold beautiful itineraries, but the problem
was those itineraries either didn’t work or didn’t flow properly.
A travel experience should be like performing a great piece
of music. It must have highs and lows and accent points that
allow the traveler to see the world through a diversity of
experiences and paradigms.
Darrell Omanson (right) at
an Assam, India, wildlife refuge.
Based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Omanson
Tour & Travel designs, organizes and leads
student group tours throughout the United
States and abroad. The company specializes
in high school and college performing groups.
Owner Darrell Omanson is a former music
educator, and he understands that teachers
have little time for researching and planning a
trip for their band or choir. His experience with
teaching and tour planning makes him an ideal
person to query about student trips.
Bangkok, Thailand
Q. Can you share a time you felt like a hero for
creating a special opportunity for students?
Omanson: The itinerary that immediately comes to mind is a
high school choir trip to New York City over Easter one year.
A London touring company was performing “Jesus Christ
Superstar” at the New Amsterdam Theatre on 42nd Street.
Our schedule was perfect for the Easter Week: We saw the
musical the evening of Good Friday, appropriate because
“Superstar” ends with Christ crucified.
And on Easter Sunday we joined 4,000 other worshipers
celebrating the resurrection at the Cathedral of Saint John
the Divine. (This was before the organ was damaged by the
fire in the gift shop.) I will never forget seeing tears come
to the students’ eyes when the organist opened up the
stops for the organ’s magnificent trumpets as the great
west doors on Amsterdam Avenue opened for the glorious
liturgical procession.
Quincy Market, Boston
Q. What’s the process for putting together a
school group tour?
Omanson: Our company depends on return customers and
word-of-mouth referrals, and we have built solid relationships
through the years. Most clients simply tell us where they would
like to go, and we work out all of the details. Because of my
background in music education, I am completely aware of the
pitfalls when traveling with a performing group.
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NTA Trip Planner for Student Travel
Q. What’s the most common mistake that
inexperienced trip planners make—and how
can an experienced tour operator save time/
money/stress?
Omanson: The most common mistake is designing an
itinerary that addresses all your needs but is an impossible
logistical nightmare. We meet and confer with clients to
make sure we are on the same page, and that contributes to
customer satisfaction.
To contact Omanson, email him at [email protected] or
visit omansontour.com.