The countdown to summer is on! But we don’t need to tell you that, since that almost-summer energy is probably crackling through your classrooms as we speak. For high-school band directors, summer usually means two things – a well-deserved break from the busy school year and an outside-the-classroom experience that you and your students look forward to all year. That’s right, band camp.  Band camp offers students the opportunity to engage early, make friends and form connections that last all year (and beyond!). After an unpredictable few years, many directors are ..read more

If the idea of paying for student travel seems a little overwhelming, you’re not the only one who feels that way. We know because questions about trip payments are some of the most common ones we receive. We LOVE answering questions about trip payments because we get to watch our clients’ faces go from perplexed to relaxed in seconds! Here are the most common questions we hear: How will I manage all those payments for dozens of students? Where will I keep all that information organized? We’ll have fundraising money – where does that go? What about crowdfunding – can we even do that? Will I hav ..read more

In 1981, when Bob Rogers launched a company to serve the unique travel needs of music educators, he set an incredible adventure into motion.  Over more than four decades, we’ve changed so much, evolving to meet the changing needs of educators and students, adopting new technology, fighting inflation and growing from Bob alone to a team of more than 50.  But while some things have changed, much of what we do remains exactly the same. We’re proud of the consistency we offer our clients, which stems from the values and principles Bob established so many years ago. Here’s ..read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Naperville, IL, Apr. 10, 2024 – Bob Rogers Travel recently received certification as a Certified Student Travel Organization (CSTO) from the Center for Student Travel Safety, an affiliate of the Student and Youth Travel Association (SYTA).  The CSTO certification is awarded to companies who have met or exceeded the minimum of 25 safety standards established by the Center and SYTA.  SYTA is the only association in the industry equipped to educate student travel providers about all aspects of student travel, with an emphasis on student travel safety and ..read more

Spinning a globe. Throwing a dart at a map. Spontaneous Google search.  There are dozens of ways to choose where you should travel. But here at BRT, we’re convinced that you should always start with why.  Every year, we match over 700 awesome performance groups with incredible destinations. And that’s taught us how important it is to identify the why of your group’s performance travel before you choose the where. In fact, your why should be the foundation of your entire itinerary! Before you finalize a destination, take a beat to thoughtfu ..read more

Here at BRT, we’re buzzing from the excitement of our biggest travel season yet. This spring, we’ll host over 40,000 students from over 500 schools across the country, taking them to incredible destinations both on and off the beaten path. (We’re looking at you, St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin!) Watching these student travelers grow as both young adults and seasoned performers is so meaningful for us. But we’re just as excited to see how our clients’ programs grow because of performance travel. Many of our clients have become our close friends over the years, and we’ve watched some of their ..read more

The holiday season is upon us and our team here at Bob Rogers Travel is so thankful for another incredible year of taking students around the world, across the country and everywhere in between.  One of our absolute favorite ways to celebrate the holidays is our very own Thanksgiving Parade of Bands, a mass band event held every year in the beautiful Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Florida. We’ve hosted this exceptional event since 2009, hosting bands from across the country for expert-led clinics, fun with friends and a performance attended by none other th ..read more

When Bob Rogers launched his business in 1981, he had no idea that his solo act would become the team of over 50 that it is today. Every year, our crew of veteran educators, travel experts and lifelong musicians dreams up and builds more than 750 student travel experiences. If you’re new to BRT, we’d like to introduce you to the different team members behind the incredible work that we do for you, your students, and your program. Travel Consultant If you’ve connected with us in person or online, you’ve probably already met one of our travel consultants. These folks are often former music educa ..read more

By Tom Merrill, Travel Consultant, Bob Rogers Travel Let’s be clear: this is a “tough love” editorial. As a travel consultant at Bob Rogers Travel, I work with dozens of music educators every year to plan successful performance tours. And lately, I’ve been seeing some missteps that can undermine that success. But I’m not here to throw stones, because I was a high school band director myself for over a decade. I took my students on several tours… and I made my share of mistakes. The benefits of student performance travel are almost too many to list: Better rehearsals and elevated performances a ..read more

Your trip’s itinerary holds a lot more than a list of places and activities.  It’s a reflection of who you are, what your program aspires to, and the “why” behind your trip. No two BRT itineraries are perfectly alike, because we take great care in crafting customized travel experiences designed to delight both students and educators. Our itineraries are:   Rooted in Relationships We lay the foundation for your itinerary from the very first conversation we have with you. Getting to know you, learning the “past, present and future” of your program, and understanding your travel go ..read more