The first quarter of 2020 has certainly not been what we envisioned it to be. At the start of the year, our tour development specialists were working closely with schools and teachers to plan amazing and inspirational student tours for the bright young minds of tomorrow. Students were excited, ready to create Experiences for Life with their teachers and friends at destinations all over the world. In only a matter of a few months, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on schools, communities, and countries around the world. With that in mind, the Student Horizons team wanted to take a moment to show our appreciation to our wider SH family that have been affected during these difficult times.
To all the schools and teachers who continue to work tirelessly to maintain a sense of normalcy for their students in these difficult times: thank you for continuing to allow the education of the bright young minds of tomorrow to continue. We know how hard it is to work with uncertainty and we know that this crisis may lead to changes in the classroom that teachers may not have had time to prepare for. Thank you to the school communities and everyone involved for continuing to work together during difficult times.
To all the students at school or at home who are unable to go on their planned travel experiences due to the current situation: we understand that it can be hard at times to understand the importance of following the strict safety measures being imposed to combat the spread of this virus. Without a doubt, it is affecting us all in some way, shape or form. For now, it is important for all of us to work together by doing our part, whether that is avoiding seeing your friends for a few weeks or doing a bit more homework during an absence from school. Just know that while you may have missed out on your planned school trip, there will be many more opportunities for life-changing travel, whether that is in your next academic year, or after you graduate. Stay strong and keep learning.
To all the parents and caregivers who have made many sacrifices to make these trips happen and are now unable to see the reward for all that hard work: thank you for your resilience and understanding as we work through this together.
At a time when everybody is hurting, we’ve been encouraged by the spirit of collaboration that exists throughout our travel sector to enable the best possible outcomes for you and your child.
To all the suppliers who continue to help us to work through cancellations or postponements: your support has been fantastic. We’d like to thank those partners that have waived cancellation fees, offered refunds and worked tirelessly on our behalf to make the best of what has been an incredibly difficult few weeks for everyone. We’re optimistic that this crisis will pass and it’s important we weather the storm together to come out stronger on the other side.
While the remainder of 2020 will no doubt be an especially challenging time for schools and families across Australia and New Zealand, we know that together, our two countries will persevere just as we have always done. For now, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all the schools, families and suppliers who are working with us during these unprecedented times. Thank you to all the students, faculty, teaching assistants, department/program staff, parents and friends for all their support they have shown us and will continue to show us over the coming months.
Whilst, all our staff are currently working remotely, our business operations continue as normal. We have a strong IT infrastructure, which enables all our people to work from home with ease. Our priority is to minimise any disruption to our clients in this uncertain climate.
For any urgent and immediate concerns please get in touch with us. We will do everything we can to ensure your concerns are addressed in a timely manner.
Stay safe and we look forward to continuing our inspirational school tours in the near future!
