WorldStrides Explorica

From WorldStrides Explorica

We work one-on-one with teachers to create incredible educational tours that meet their specific needs and budget. All Explorica tours are fully inclusive and expertly designed to immerse participants in the local culture while introducing them to the people, places and experiences that make each destination unique.Explorica is committed to enriching students through educational travel, and that means helping teachers extend the opportunity to as many students as possible. In addition to offering the guaranteed best prices in educational travel, we also provide scholarships, need-based financial assistance, and a variety of resources to ensure that every student is able to join their classmates on the trip of a lifetime.

A culture of innovation

At the time Explorica was founded, organizing a tour was an entirely manual process and there was little competition in the field to drive change—or improvements in quality, service or pricing.

Industry veteran Olle Olsson recognized the opportunity for innovation. He assembled a multidisciplinary team of seasoned educational travel experts, and set out to reimagine the entire educational travel experience from the teacher’s perspective. Explorica was born.

The company launched in 2000 and was an instant game changer. We empowered teachers to control their trip planning process through simple, online tools. We simplified and digitized the enrollment process by introducing the industry’s first online registration, account management and credit card payment systems. We used the savings from these operational efficiencies to provide higher-quality hotels and meals for lower prices than comparable operators in the field. And most importantly, we put teachers first, soliciting their input and using their feedback to continually improve the travel experience.

Always improving

Today, the legacy of innovation continues. We’re known as the most responsive company in the industry because we turn our group leaders’ ideas into reality. This customer-driven business model ensures that we are always providing the best experience possible for every traveler, on every tour. It also means that we’ve added many new products, services and resources through the years, including several industry firsts:

The first digital Tour Diary

The first flexible teacher rewards and free-place ratio

The first Guaranteed Travel Dates

The first teacher-to-teacher peer-mentorship program

The first online tour customization tools

The first pre-paid tipping option

Every single one of these innovations was inspired by feedback from our group leaders—the voices that guide everything we do.

To provide even more best-in-class services for our travelers, we joined together with WorldStrides in 2016. As a WorldStrides company, we are now able to offer academic credit for students, professional development for teachers, $50 million in liability coverage and an even greater network of global support. Explorica travelers benefit from the resources of North America’s largest educational travel organization, while still enjoying the same flexibility and personalized service from their dedicated Explorica consultant.

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