Industry Leading Safety

It's not just 50 years of experience that makes People to People Ambassador Programs an industry leader in safety.

Senior Director of Health and Safety Mike Bowers has nearly 30 years of experience himself managing safe-travel practices for airlines. He believes People to People Ambassador Programs remains at the forefront of student travel because of a smart use of technology, partnerships with world-class experts, and open conversations with other travel organizations to help keep customers safe—no matter what company they're traveling with.

Most importantly, People to People Ambassador Programs holds itself to ever-higher standards. Mike explains: "Providing 'good' meals wasn't good enough for us. We brought in a dietitian to help set menus and ensure that the meals were balanced, varied, and nutritious, while also being appealing to students. It wasn't enough that we issued GPS-enabled cell phones to delegation leaders during travel. We found a partner who could offer parents that same GPS capability, so they could see where their child was at any given moment. It's an environment of continuous improvement."

A Global Network of Support

At the heart of People to People Ambassador Programs' passion for safety are—what else?—people! Hundreds of Ambassador Programs staff and partners are committed to promoting the health and safety of every student traveler.

• The delegation leaders not only help educate students about the amazing sights they're seeing but are also carefully trained to supervise students away from home. Learn more about the leaders for Student Ambassador and Leadership Ambassador programs.
• Delegation managers and local guides are the language and destination experts.
• The senior director of health and safety is the only person in the entire industry whose sole job is to manage for the safety of students.
• Worldwide partners locate the most engaging activities and ensure every site meets People to People Ambassador Programs standards for safety.
• Travel services staff track flights, scrutinize hotels, and approve menus.
• Multilingual medical specialists assist in translating doctors' orders and parents' questions in the event of a medical visit.
• Emergency response staff rush to the delegation if support is needed.
• 24/7 delegate support specialists are available around the clock while students are traveling.
• A specialized Health and Safety Team reviews and anticipates travel health needs.
• Area directors and a leader development team train (and yearly retrain) leaders on the latest and greatest safety practices.

Everything went so well. The people and the time and care everyone took to organize it was awesome. There was never a second that I felt my son wasn't completely safe and happy. He had the time of his life."

—Deana Harden, parent of a Student Ambassador, Lees Summit, Mo.