conference

It is important to read this note before you register. 

ETC’s registration software by WHOVA added a new feature for 2025.  Unfortunately, it has caused some confusion during the registration process for some delegates.  

At the bottom of the last page of your registration form, WHOVA gives you the option to “Set Up” a WHOVA account. You do not need to set up a WHOVA account to register for ETC 2025.

The WHOVA offer to create an account reads as:

If you do register, you can unlock more benefits with a Whova account!

• Manage your order: Track orders or purchase more tickets and add-ons.
• RSVP for sessions: Save your seats for popular sessions early on.
• Get event app access: Stay tuned for event information in the Whova app.

Setting up a WHOVA account allows you to go back into your registration form at a later date to add (not delete) choices to your registration form. 

Following the option to set up a WHOVA account you are given a choice to click one of two buttons to proceed:

• REGISTER Button – Only select this button if you already have a WHOVA account. Do not click REGISTER if you have not created an account yet.
  
• CONTINUE AS GUEST Button – Select this button if you have not created an account so you can finish your registration.

Welcome to the Educational Travel Consortium’s Conference (ETC 2025) Registration page!

Please read this message carefully before you begin your registration.

ITEMS REQUIRED FOR REGISTRATION
1) ETC’s annual conference is a member-only event. An ETC Membership valid through March 2025 is required to attend the ETC 2025 Conference.
You can now sign up for membership AND register for ETC 2025 at the same time through WHOVA. Be sure to check off the membership option on your Conference registration form before submitting and paying for both membership and Conference registration. If your membership is current and paid through March 2025 do not check the membership option box. If you are uncertain as to your membership status or expiration date please contact Lisa Douma for verification before registering.

2) Published registration fees are valid only with a minimum of 3 nights booked in official conference hotel block at the published Conference rate – third party, OTA and industry rates do not qualify for the published registration fees. You will be asked for your confirmation number on the registration form, so please have it available. Make hotel reservations.

REGISTRATION INCLUDES
Three-day educational program, access to 1-to-1 meeting scheduling, the International Bazaar, and any non-paid receptions and events. DOS registration also includes basic display space in the International Bazaar.

PAYMENTS
We encourage everyone to use the convenient online system to register and pay by credit card.  If you need to pay by check, please contact Lisa Douma, ETC Registrar, to make arrangements.

Additional fees as noted on Order Summary are levied entirely by Whova and their credit card processer, Stripe. ETC is not in receipt of these fees.

CANCELLATIONS
For cancellations made prior to January 10, 2025 you will receive a full refund (less U.S. $75.00 administrative fee and Whova and Stripe fees if payment was made online). Fees are not refundable for cancellations after January 10, 2025. Name substitutions from the same organization are accepted up to February 10, 2025; thereafter, a $50.00 charge will apply.

TO REGISTER MORE THAN ONE PERSON FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION/UNIVERSITY/COMPANY
Each person needs their own membership and conference registration. Please join or renew your membership and then decide who will register for 1st person. The first person from an organization should select “First Person Registration”. Subsequent people should choose “Second + Person Registration”.  Non-Sponsoring DOS are limited to 2 attendees per company. If you would like to bring more people from your organization, consider a sponsorship.

If registering someone else, input information for confirmation first and then put the actual attendee’s information under Ticket Information.  This is a convenience feature for those individuals who wish to have someone else handle registration details for them.

Thank you for registering for ETC 2025. We look forward to
welcoming you to Mobile, Alabama in March!

MUST READ BEFORE REGISTERING

By registering for this conference, you are agreeing to ETC’s Annual Conference Protocol.

The Educational Travel Consortium’s Annual Conference assembles an international group of top-level decision makers from both nonprofit institutions and for-profit companies who focus specifically on special-interest and lifelong-learning group travel. The following three distinct groups attend the conference:

1) Nonprofit Travel Program Managers and Planners

2) U.S. Tour Operators and Suppliers

3) Domestic and International Destination Representatives

This is the most content-laden conference in the travel industry.
Jim Sano, Vice President of Travel, Tourism, and Conservation, World Wildlife Fund

1) Nonprofit Travel Program Managers and Planners
Large and small travel programs are represented from alumni associations and continuing and international education departments; art, science, and natural history museums; cultural and preservation organizations; zoos, aquariums, and conservation groups; and from national and regional nonprofit organizations and affinity associations.

Approximately 100+ nonprofit travel planners from across the USA and Canada participate each year. In attendance are key decision makers such as executive directors and program managers, as well as program support staff.

Some of the participants are: Dartmouth College, Stanford Alumni Association, Arizona Alumni Association, Washington & Lee University, Philadelphia Zoo, California Alumni Association–Berkeley, Harvard Alumni Association, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Smithsonian Institution, The Nature Conservancy, National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Sierra Club, UCLA Alumni Travel, Alumni Association of the University of Michigan

Excellent source of tour selection and management of information and best single resource for educational travel networking.
Robert Fure (retired), Lifelong Learning, Washington & Lee University

2) Leading U.S. Tour Operators and Suppliers
In addition to forging connections between travel planners from similar institutions, ETC brings together  key special-interest group travel operators, destinations, and suppliers from all corners of the world. No other meeting assembles so many experts dedicated to serving this educational, alumni, and nonprofit travel market niche.110+ special-interest tour operators and 50+ specialty suppliers, from several international destinations, attend and exhibit. Companies and businesses represented include: Academic Arrangements Abroad, Distant Horizons, Odysseys Unlimited, Lindblad Expeditions, MIR, Alaska Wildland Tours, USI Travel Insurance Services, Alumni Holidays, and Gohagan & Co.

Best educational experience in the industry.
Marilyn Downing Staff, Founder and Past President, Asia Transpacific Journeys

3) Special Interest Domestic and International Destinations and DMCs
ETC has representatives from around the globe— Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, the South Pacific and Australia, and the United States. State and foreign national government tourist offices, destination marketing organization specialists and city tourist bureaus participate, as well as in country receptive operators. A sampling of these attendees from past conferences include: China National Tourist Office, Japan National Tourism Organization, India Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization, Tourist Office of Spain, Tourism Malaysia, Travel Manitoba, Tourism Ireland, ProColombia, Visit Flanders.

https://educationaltravelconsortium.com/2019/08/20/audience-profile/