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Planning Time
Group Sizes
Airlines
Hotel Accommodations
Customize Your Itinerary
Free Tour Escorts
Taxes, Tips & Fuel Surcharge
Promotion
Registering Tour Members
Final Documents
Land Operators
Planning Time
- It is good to begin planning your tour 6 months to one year in advance. Although arrangements can be made in a shorter time period, this leeway will give you more options for hotels, dates and flights.
- Choose your approximate travel dates.
- Seasons can affect your tour price. Generally, seasons are as follows:
Shoulder Season: March-May and September-November
Peak Season: June-September
Low Season: November-March
- Jewish Holidays are considered Peak Season. Seasons will vary slightly each year.
Group Sizes
- A minimum of 20 tour members is recommended for a group. However, we can price tours for groups of any sizes.
- Decide on a realistic minimum and maximum number of participants you anticipate for your tour. Tour price is based upon the number of estimated tour members.
- Small Groups could possibly join with another church to be cost effective.
Airlines
- Several carriers are considered for your tour. The airline used for your tour depends on what type of flight plan is important to you (i.e. non-stop from US).
- Airlines are also considered if you are visiting more than one country.
- Deposits of $100 per seat is required by airlines to guarantee rates and seats needed for each tour group. The deposit is fully refundable after the travel takes place and specific dates are given by the airlines to reduce the number of seats reserved or to cancel reservations without penalty of deposit.
Hotel Accommodations
- Your tour price will vary according to the type of accommodations you choose for your tour.
- Location of your hotel will vary the price. Hotels that are close to major sites or those with special views are more costly.
Customize Your Itinerary
- Sample itineraries are provided for your consideration.
- It is impossible to see everything in 7 or 8 days of touring. You must decide on what sites you feel are most important for your group.
- Consider how many days you would like for your complete tour package, (allow 2 or 3 days for travel) how many days or sightseeing and if you would like to offer a free day to your participants.
- Consider whether or not you would like to add lunch, a farewell dinner, or adventure activities.
Complimentary Tour Escorts
- Complimentary tours are costed into the final price of your tour. Because all of our tours are customized, we will work closely with you to make sure we meet your needs.
Taxes, Tip and Fuel Surcharge
- We highly recommend including the recommendation gratuities for guides, driver and hotel staff in your tour price. This enables us to offer the guides generous tips, ensuring we continue to offer our groups the best guides in Israel.
- By collecting tips in the tour price, the funds can be given to the tour host to distribute as needed.
- Taxes and fuel surcharge will not be guaranteed by the airline. We can only give you the current fuel surcharge, final amount will be determined 30 days before your departure.
Promotion
- Our tour price always includes a customized brochure for your tour.
- Begin promoting early to give your people plenty of time to prepare.
- Spread the enthusiasm. The number of participants in your tour will largely depend on your enthusiasm for the tour.
- Invite your church to join you on this life changing journey.
- Hold information meetings and “Holy Land Nights.”
- MTT will provide you with materials needed to hold an information meeting for your congregation.
- Israel Ministry of Tourism can provide posters, various brochures and promotional videos.
Registering Tour Members
- Tour members can register directly with MTT.
- We handle the collection of deposits and final payments of individual tour members, as well as informing participants of pertinent information and collecting passport information.
- All funds collected for tours are held in a trust account, until payments are made to operators.
Final Documents
- Final documents arrive 2-4 weeks before departure.
- They include a maps, nametag, luggage tags and a complete information packet to include hotel information, rooming list and last minute details on traveling to the Holy Land.
Madison Tours and Travel is available to assist you and your tour members to make sure your tour is at the highest level possible.
