Cox & Kings India to launch education tours

ONE year after acquiring specialised education tour company Holidaybreak UK, Cox & Kings will kickstart education tours in India in 2013, and expects a 25 per cent ROI in developing this niche segment.

Peter Kerkar, executive director, Cox & Kings, said: “Education tours will be rolled out in India next year and the company is developing a site within the country for its education tours. Our strategy is to become education tour specialists. We have done market studies and have held discussions with 300 schools.”

Typically, Indian education tours have a group size of 30-40 students accompanied by three or four teachers. Textbook learning is augmented by visits to historical and cultural locations under the supervision of trained guides and teachers.

The current size of the outbound education tours market in India has grown to about 80,000 annually. Trade experts are bullish that the yearly growth of 20-25 per cent is sustainable for several years to come.

Sanjay Maniar, director, Travelaid Kolkata, said: “Most good schools are recognising the fact that students, travelling with their peers under supervision of their teachers, learn to experience other cultures and norms and, most importantly, see places that they have only read about. This experiential learning is priceless.”

Sourced: TTG Asia