How to Plan & promote your Tour to israel

How to Plan & promote your Tour to israel?

 

1. Establish a leadership team,set your goals,and enlist prayer supporters & find a spiritual covering.

 

Although you do not need any prior experience to lead a tour to Israel, you may want to enlist other individuals to help you in coordinating the details of the trip. You need to Establishing a leadership team of three or two people (Husband & Wife ) (especially if you are coming with a large group) can help drive the overall process and get the word out about the trip. You need to include a group treasurer, who will handle the financial responsibilities for the trip from beginning to end, as well as a tour logistics administrator (getting from their home to the flight and all the way here to Israel). Usually, the church secretary takes care of all the above. The leadership team will ideally be responsible for:

● Communicating with potential tour participants.

● Sending promotional materials and information to churches or individuals.

● Creating and maintaining a list of people who have expressed interest in going to Israel (this is also helpful for organizing future trips to Israel).

 

Coordinating regular meetings, prayer groups, or bible study for tour participants.

More importantly, we urge group leaders and participants to ask for prayer covering before,during, and after your tour. Prayer for strength, safety, and spiritual openness is crucial for the Holy Spirit to bring about life-changing growth.

 

 

2. Requesting the Tour Itinerary

This is where the ‘nuts and bolts’ planning of the tour begins. You will communicate your vision to Andre and Marie his, the Program Director, and together we will customize a meaningful program and tour that accomplishes your vision and goals. We customize each tour according to each church or ministry needs.

 

3. Tour Price Quotation

After the tour itinerary is finalized, a Tour Price Quote will be given by Twins Tours. At this point, the Group Leader will have all the information necessary to plan and make decisions. As the quote is being developed, there are several factors to keep in mind.

– Prices are higher during Jewish holiday times.

– The number of participants will determine how many free places you receive.

– The prices quoted are for double occupancy (There is a single supplement fee for single occupancy rooms).

– The type of hotel will affect prices. 4 stars or 5 stars

 

4. Reserving the Tour

The Tour Leader will then confirm the reservation with Twins Tours for the Tour, with the finalized confirmed dates, by the way better to have the final dates way in advance and that will result in a final contract with a payment schedule. And also At this point, your flight details must be final.

 

5. Prepare marketing materials

Now that your Tour is designed, priced, and air portions are final, having up to date and effective marketing materials is an excellent way to promote it. You may find that setting up a simple website or Facebook Instagram page, or Whats App group is an easy and efficient way to distribute the trip’s promotional materials and any other information.

 

6. Reach out & register participants

The upcoming Tour is now ready to be presented to potential participants in your circle of influence. This would include your church community, ministry partners, and friends as widely as possible by making announcements, short presentations, or hosting an informal ‘Israel Orientation Meeting’ to answer questions, show photos, and promote the tour, or even invite Andre to speak in your church about the trip.

 

7. Payment Terms & Conditions – Payment Schedule: 100 % of the entire amount should be wired 2 months prior to arrival in Israel. Please add any additional sending fees.($40 Varies with each bank & depends on the amount to be wired). For example, if the 100% down payment is $25,000, please send $25,000 + your banks’ sending fees. Twins Tours will absorb the receiving fees on our end. After the transfers are made, immediately notify Twins Tours so we can confirm with our bank. Most international wire transfers take 2 days to one week to receive, depending on holidays, weekends, etc. – Each payment will generate a receipt from Twins Tours with a final invoice showing all payments and any refunds, if applicable.

 

– Any additional costs accrued (such as an additional person added to the tour, etc.) can be paid in later to Twins Tours upon arrival and a receipt will be given. – Group Cancellation: If the group cancels less than 60 days prior to arrival, refunds are not guaranteed, and cancellation fees may be applied. However, if the cancellation is due to the unlikely event of war or national emergency or epidemic, then Twins Tours will retain a small administration fee, and return the bulk of the monies paid. It will depend on each hotel’s willingness to waive the cancellation fee. – Individual Cancellation: If an individual participant cancels less than 14 days prior to arrival, then full refunds cannot be guaranteed, and cancellation fees may be applied. The situation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Travel insurance that includes trip cancellation due to illness, injury or medical emergencies is highly advised. – Tips: Tips must be given in cash (in three separate envelopes, labeled ‘tour guide’, ‘bus driver’ and ‘hotel tips’)with one set of envelopes per hotel. These monies go directly from the Tour Leader to the service providers and cannot be included in the wire transfer to Twins Tours & Travel Ltd. Customarily in Israel tips for tour guides, bus drivers and hotel workers are received independent of their salary. – Rates could be subject to change due to possible extreme fluctuations in the US dollar and fuel prices.

 

– Rates are based on these dates only; changes to tour dates may require re-pricing.

– Check-in to hotels on Saturdays are subject to late check-in procedures (up to three hours after the end of Shabbat). We will endeavor to schedule your tours to avoid these late check-in charges on Shabbat.

 

8. Tour Leader Responsibilities

The Tour Leader is responsible for the team that he/she is bringing. This includes having a packet of the following information with them at all times on the tour: a copy of each participants’ passports, emergency contact info, a list of any prescription medications they take, and health insurance information for each participant in case of emergency. If there is a medical emergency or any other type of emergency, Twins Tours will assist the Tour Leader in making decisions on how to resolve the emergency.

 

Twins Tours Management Responsibilities

In the event of a security situation such as rioting, unrest or riots,route changes, accidents, weather conditions, etc. Twins Tours management is ultimately responsible for making the best decisions that might affect the itinerary and touring schedule. Our Tour Guides are in constant communication with law and security authorities about the safety of any location on the itinerary.

 

9. Tour Guide & Driver Working Hours

Tour Guides are restricted to work 9 hours/day. Any additional hours will be billed to the tour budget.Regarding buses,according to Israeli law, the daily limit is 200 kilometers and 9 hours. Extra fees will apply for any additional kilometers or hours.

 

10. Administrative Practical Things Name tags – the Tour Leader will be responsible for printing and bringing name tags for each tour participant. On the back of the name tags, please include the names and phone numbers of the hotels, guides, etc. You can get this information from our office. – Song sheets – many groups like to bring a small list of song sheets for the participants to use during times of worship. – Devotional & Prayer Schedule – many groups often welcome the involvement of their participants and create a devotional and prayer schedule for each day of the tour. If you choose to do this, please have it organized before making the trip here. – Journals – there is so much to see and learn in Israel and in such a short time! By the end of the trip, the days usually start to blur together. Twins Tours offers, for free, a “Twins Tours Study Reader,” which includes journaling pages as well as pictures, maps, and additional study material. If you would like to have it before the trip, it is available in paperback on Amazon.com. Simply search for Twins Tour Study Reader, and you will find it. – Wi-Fi – Most hotels will have areas with free Wi-Fi in the lobby, sometimes in the rooms. Buses have limited Wi-Fi. Also, there are some places in the country with limited cell phone reception, which affects the bus Wi-Fi system. – Hair dryers in hotel rooms – Most hotels have hair dryers, guesthouses do not. So please keep this in mind as you plan your tour. – Israeli cell phone SIM cards – We recommend that the Tour Leader have one for the Tour. Twins Tours can supply each group with one phone line for their time here to receive calls from your home country. We can assist you in obtaining the SIM cards. For tour

 

participants who need to stay connected, it’s advised to get an international calling or data plan from your home country organized before you arrive.

 

– Larger Groups – If your group is larger than forty participants, it is often helpful to have the group broken down into smaller groups with ‘small group leaders’. This structure helps information get distributed quickly to the tour participants, and the small group leaders can help be on the lookout for problems the tour participants may encounter, such as a feeling of isolation, etc.

 

– Buses – Twins Tours have contracts with the two largest bus companies in Israel,with a selection of more than 450 vehicles – ranging from car-derived Mercedes vans for families that have 7 seats (like Mercedes Viano) to a van-based vehicle Mercedes minibus which has up to 16 passenger seats. There are also big buses that can seat up to 55 passengers. All the vehicles are brand new with wifi services.

 

– Audio Devices – for groups larger than 15 people, booking the wireless Whispers system helps make sure that every person in the group is equally able to hear the guide.

– Whatsapp Group – We recommend that the Tour Leader open a Whatsapp group for all the participants (and guide later)to stay in contact for updates and such during the tour.

– People with special needs – please advise us if any tour participants have mobility issues or special dietary needs; we have a supply of wheelchairs and crutches in our office in Jerusalem.

– Emergency and Medical Forms– The Tour Leader will be responsible for collecting emergency and medical contact forms. It is advised that they be kept together with the leader all throughout the tour in case of emergency.

 

FAQ’S

How far in advance should I begin planning a trip? We suggest you allow yourself at least nine to twelve months before coming to Israel, although longer may be better, since you may find that you will need to promote the tour. Be aware it will take several weeks to negotiate with the airlines and book your flights. At that point, after your flights are confirmed, it is important to inform Twins Tours to finalize the tour program hotels and prices. What does a Twins Tour include? The price of the tour includes all of the basic expenses– Half board H/B (breakfasts & dinners at the hotels), trips,transportation, accommodation, and entrance fees, from the time you land in Israel till you leave excluding the flights. What does a Twins Tour NOT include? Travel insurance, optional trips, activities on free days, lunches, visa applications, personal fees, All Tips, and souvenir shopping. Please note: Lunches can also be included, if desired, in most places, during the group touring days. Do I need a visa? Individuals holding passports from Europe& North America do not need a visa to visit Israel.Individuals from other countries need to check with an Israeli Consulate or Embassy to determine exact requirements. Here is a useful website to help you determine what Israel’s visa requirements are: http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ConsularServices/Pages/Visas.aspx

Note that all visitors to Israel must arrive with a valid passport that does not expire within six months after your arrival in Israel.

 

When is the best time of year to visit? It’s up to you. Unless you specifically want to be in Israel for Christmas or Easter, you may want to schedule your trip at a time other than these busy holiday seasons.Weather conditions vary; from November to March, Israel has cool temperatures and some rain. (January and February have the highest rainfall). From June to August, temperatures are very warm, and the country is virtually rain less from April through October. A Twins Tours representative can help you decide on the best time for you and your group to visit. Here is a helpful website to find out the Jewish holidays for each year: https://www.hebcal.com/holidays/2015-2016

 

How much pocket money should I bring for tipping or other things? Most currencies can be exchanged at the airport or by authorized money changers, which are available in most places your group will be visiting. Visa and MasterCard are accepted throughout the country; however, were commend that you notify your bank and credit card company and inform them of your travel plans to avoid them potentially suspending your account due to irregular activity. Do not bring Travelers Checks, as they are accepted in very few places these days, and there will be little time to get them cashed during your tour. Do I need travel health insurance? The answer is YES. ☺ If your health insurance does not cover international travel, we strongly encourage participants to purchase a basic plan. https://www.travelinsurancecenter.com

We are sure that you are all aware of this, but please double-check that every participant has travel insurance for the days in Israel,which includes coverage for medical emergency assistance during their trip. Please make sure every member has done it through your organization. In Israel, according to the law, this is a must. It does not cost much – the alternative, to be without coverage during a medical emergency, can become very expensive if the participant does not have insurance. They need to document that they have done it and send your organization all the information. From our experience, each participant needs to carry a list of all their daily medications – including the names and the dosage – as well as

- Any medications they are allergic to. In case of emergency, this list must be ready to give to the medical professionals. (pages 30-31 of this handbook provide a sample).

Do I need trip cancellation Insurance? The answer is YES, again much recommended. Most travel health insurance companies have the option to add trip cancellation insurance.

How do I book my Flights? – The minimum number of people required to travel together as a group is 10. – You will need specific dates, city pairs – from and to – and group name. The sooner you book your flights, the better the option, rate, and availability will be. – You can book as far in advance as 9 to 11 months out. – Group bookings will require a deposit per person to hold a reservation, usually within 14 days of initial booking. – Deposit is refunded after the trip is completed after deducting any penalties. – 80 to 90% of the group travel/number has to be maintained 60-90 days prior to departure. This is called the utilization date. – You can reduce your group number without penalty by this date. – Final payment/full names/gender and ticketing is required 45- 30 days prior to departure. Depending on the vendor/airline, payment can be made with a credit card or cheques/checks only. – All contract terms and restrictions will be offered to the clients at the time of booking.

 

– We recommend contacting Business Class Club directly to set up your travel flights. (The contact information is listed below)

 

TwinsTours is available to do a Skype/Zoom/FaceTime meeting with the tour leaders at anytime. www.twinstours.org