Marching Band Travel Safety Tips

Marching Band Safety with Music Travel Consultants

Marching Band Travel Safety Tips

It is important that Music Travel Consultants’ clients and travelers know that their safety and security is our uppermost concern as we fulfill our mission to provide them positively life-changing travel experiences around the world. Music Travel Consultants works hard to ensure the safest and smoothest trip possible for each of its traveling groups. Nonetheless, problems and emergencies can occur.  If they do, your trip’s MTC Tour Director, who accompanies your group 24/7, can make all the difference. Please notify your MTC Tour Director of the situation immediately, so he or she may begin working with the Director/Group Leader, chaperones and MTC office to resolve it. Your MTC Tour Director is there to offer immediate assistance and direction, and she or he is empowered to take necessary action.  However, there are many helpful tips that can be given to your students to extinguish issues before they begin.

Irrespective of how much preparation goes into a marching band trip, it can be derailed by many things that are beyond anyone’s control. Issues can rear their heads from many directions: heat exhaustion, someone missing from the group, and injuries are all potential pitfalls.  And, there’s more. It is in everyone’s best interest to make a performance trip as safe and enjoyable as possible. Here are some tips that we offer from experience:

Safety Tips

  • Keep the band hydrated. Not only before, during and after practices or performances, but even on days when the band might be enjoying leisure time. When traveling to new places, it is easy to forget that the body might react to other climates in different ways.
  • In addition to staying hydrated, there are many trips that have the band spending a lot of time outside, so make sure your group protects itself from long periods of exposure to the sun. Be prepared by bringing along sunscreen, sunglasses with 100% of both UVA and UVB ray protection, and wide-brim hats.
  • Try your best not to let your travelers skip meals. Encourage fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins to keep the performers’ energy up and not cause them to be sluggish.
  • Note to your band before they even start to pack:  Check the destination’s temperature forecast highs and lows for where you will be for all days of the trip.
  • Matching shirts might seem cheesy in family photos, but when you have a couple hundred band members on a trip, they can be a lifesaver.
  • Big crowds in historically traveler-heavy areas can sometimes be a problem. MTC always keeps this in mind when moving large groups. We try to avoid congested areas. However, there are times when this is unavoidable. Sometimes, it is hard for everyone to keep focused, especially when visiting new sights and places.  Reminding the group once in a while that “sticking together” is a high priority can keep everyone that much safer. And, go ahead and make a contingency plan for use if someone does get lost. Have a safe place to meet and a designated phone number that everyone who gets separated may call.
  • Use technology to keep your group safe. We have cell phones and apps to help group leaders get messages out fast without difficulty.
  • Learn the names of all of your chaperones. You never know when you’ll need to get their attention RIGHT NOW.
  • MTC Tour Directors are made aware of pre-existing health conditions, allergies, and dietary restrictions, and Band Directors should be aware of these things as well. Check out MTC’s Special Needs tips for taking care of your group’s special needs travelers.
  • Always pay attention to and be aware of thunder and lightning guidelines in the event of threatening weather.

Contact Music Travel Consultants today to start planning your trip!

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