You're about to spend $3,000-5,000 per student on an international school trip. That's $60,000-150,000+ of parent money, school time, and institutional reputation.
Before you book, ask these seven questions. They won't appear on any provider's FAQ page — and the answers will tell you more than any brochure ever could.
1. What happens to the project when our students leave?
This is the most important question on this list. And the one most trip providers hope you never ask.
Good answer: "Our programs run year-round with local staff. Student groups visit during scheduled windows and join work that's already happening. Here's a photo from last month — no visiting group was there."
Red flag: "We work with local partners who continue the project..." (vague, no specifics). Or: "Each group builds on what the previous group started" (means the project exists for visitors).
Why it matters: If the work only happens when students are present, it was designed for students, not communities. The community is a backdrop.
2. Can you share a line-item budget for this trip?
Not a price range. Not "approximately." A line-item breakdown showing where every dollar goes.
Good answer: "Absolutely. Here's our standard breakdown: X% accommodation, X% transport, X% community programs, X% local staff, X% operator margin. We'll customise it for your group size."
Red flag: "Our pricing is competitive for the market" (doesn't answer the question). Or: "We don't break down costs that way" (why not?).
Why it matters: If a provider won't tell you where the money goes, parents can't make informed decisions and communities can't verify what they receive.
3. Are local community members paid and in leadership roles?
Not "we work with local partners." Specifically: are the people in the community being paid, and are they making decisions?
Good answer: "We've provided work for over 40 community members — our partners and trip leaders are all Kenyan nationals. They're employed year-round with benefits. Community coordinators design program priorities. Here are their names and roles."
Red flag: "We hire local guides and translators for each visit" (seasonal, not leadership). Or: "Our experienced Western team manages the programs" (locals are props).
Why it matters: If the people who live there aren't leading and being paid fairly, the program serves visitors, not communities.
4. Can we speak to a community leader — not just a past school client?
School references tell you about the student experience. Community references tell you about the community impact. Both matter. Most providers only offer the first.
Good answer: "Of course. Here's the contact for [name], who leads our [program]. And [name], the head teacher at [school]. They'll give you their honest perspective."
Red flag: "We can connect you with several schools who've used our programme" (deflection). Or: "Our community partners prefer not to be contacted directly" (why?).
Why it matters: The community's perspective on a program is at least as important as a previous client's. If a provider blocks that conversation, ask why.
5. What percentage of our trip cost reaches the local community?
Not "we give back to communities." A number.
Good answer: "Here's our full line-item budget. That includes local staff salaries, community program funding, local suppliers, and accommodation run by community members. Here's the breakdown."
Red flag: "A portion of every trip goes to community development" (what portion?). Or: "We donate X amount per student" (a fixed donation regardless of trip cost usually means a small percentage).
Why it matters: The industry average for tourism revenue staying in communities is shockingly low. Knowing the number lets you compare providers honestly.
6. Do you publish impact data for the community — not just student testimonials?
"97% of students said it was life-changing" is a satisfaction survey, not an impact metric.
Good answer: "We publish an annual impact report with community-defined metrics: meals served daily, water access points built, women in cooperatives, school enrollment data. Here's the latest."
Red flag: "Our alumni consistently rate their experience highly" (student data, not community data). Or: "We track the impact of each group's contribution" (means impact is attributed to visits, not year-round work).
Why it matters: If a provider can't show what changed for the community — with data, not stories — how do they know their programs work?
7. What does your organisation do between student visits?
The year-round test. Simple. Devastating.
Good answer: "Between visits, our Kenyan partners run the same programs: school feeding, water cooperatives, permaculture gardens. We can show you monthly reports. The work doesn't stop."
Red flag: "We use the off-season to prepare for upcoming groups" (the program is the trips). Or: "Our local partners maintain the projects" (who? how? with what funding?).
Why it matters: This question reveals whether you're funding year-round community work or paying for a two-week production staged for visitors.
What To Do With These Answers
If your current provider answers all seven questions clearly and specifically — great. You've found a good partner.
If they struggle with two or more — that doesn't mean they're bad people. It means their model wasn't built for community impact. It was built for the student experience. Those are different things.
We built a downloadable version of these questions with expanded benchmarks for each. It's designed to bring to your next vendor meeting.
Download the Transparency Checklist →
And if you want to score your current programme across five dimensions — not just these questions — the Impact Scorecard takes five minutes and gives you a clear picture of where you stand.
