ByIevaAugstums
Staff Reporter
For students who want to avoid
spring break package companies,
other options are available.
Shirley Rice, co-owner of Four
Seasons Travel, said most students
come to her agency for help with
single travel accommodations such
as hotel or air transportation.
^ “Most students like to plan their
Q\vn spring break vacations,” Rice
sai&“Vife do our best to accommo
date each individual to the best of
their needs. A lot of students are on a
shoestring budget, and we can help
them spend their money wisely.”
If a student wants?* complete ^
spring break package, £.ice said *•>
Four Seasons Travel will book a
package through a spring break
company. Rice said all the compa
nies Four Seasons works with are
approved by the Better Business
Bureau.
“Students like coming to travel
agencies because they are local and
more reliable,” she said.
Four Seasons Travel has been in
Lincoln for 22 years under the same
ownership. As a member of the Better
Business Bureau, die agency is com
mitted to their customers and are will
ing to work one on one to have an
enjoyable vacation, Rice said.
Shake It
Earn the cash you need for
school...and to make
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Our current
full-time ‘employees
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After training you set your schedule to earn
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We currently have openings for:
Foil-time
Day or Evening
Teleservices
Representative
P»i4.|lmf
Evening/Weekend
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Representative
Or Apply in Person: . ,
Monday-Friday 10am-7pm ITI M2U^K6tloGPVICGS
809 P” Street, Lincoln, NE Filial Opportunity Employer
I
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invites you to attend. “Women and Gynocologic Health”,
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Women & Gynecologic Health
The Comhusker Hotel, 333 So. 13th, Lincoln
Tuesday, November 18
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naive students
SCAMS from page 1 g
known company with regional corpo
rate offices throughout the United
States, is one of several companies
that recruits students to help increase
sales.
Dave Gustafson, Midwest region
al director for College Tours, said the
company benefits by selling spring
break packages through students.
“The reason we have student rep
resentatives is because students
know the campus and
the students on
their campus,”
Gustafson said.
Gustafson
said student
representa
tives receive
additional
bonuses, or
“perks,” to
their personal
spring break
package. Aftei
selling 10 trip!
representative
receive 25
percent off
their total
packages
After selling
15 trips, repre
sentatives get
r a _a
jkj pciv^cui f / 9 Jmk
off, and after 20, • f
their trip is free.
Additional bonuses include an
ocean view room, priority hotel
check-in and admission to various
parties and activities not open to the
public.
During February, March and
April, more than 95 percent of all
U.S. and Canadian colleges and uni
versities have students leaving for
spring break, said Brad W. Nelson^
is
n ^ „„
do nof lmow everything they receive
or don’t receive with their trip pack
ages.
Nelson said there have been cases
with other spring break companies in
which students have gotten “screwed
over” and left with no trip at all.
“A lot of spring break companies
lie to hook their customers,” Nelson
said. “It’s all part of the job.”
But Gustafson said College Tours
was an honest, legitimate company.
“I’m not going to lie,” Gustafson
said. “Spring break companies lie to
increase sales. However, I am proud
to be a part of College Tours, a com
pany that is not affiliated with this •
stereotype.”
Nelson also vouched for his own
company.
“Inter-Campus Programs is a very
straightforward company,” Nelson
said. “We are well staffed, and hon
estly, we have the best deal financial
ly.”
Matt Haney/DN
Skeptics on duty
Mecham, of the Better Business
Bureau, said smooth talking and
quick walking may be the business
ethics of some student travel compa
rues.
‘ Studenfs Ure stBceptibleTo man^1
businesses and their products,
Mecham said. In a college town,
companies know they can make a
quick penny off students because stu
dents need their services.
“Part of our job here at the Better
Business Bureau is to look out for the
interest of consumers, as well as com
panies,” Mecham said. “If a customer
feels they were misrepresented, treat
ed unethically, or they think some
thing phony is going on, we can help
them out and look into it.”
Both Campus Tours and Inter
Campus Programs said their jobs are
based on being a salesperson. The
goal is to sell as many travel packages
is possible.
“Companies do misrepresent
information and some of the pricing
for their trip packages,” Nelson said.
‘Competition is strong. Companies,
like ourselves, are trying to get the
most students possible.”
Spring break companies compete
against each other through ads and
package deals to see who
~ can appeal to the most
students, Mecham
said.
Nelson said
Inter-Campus
Programs does
Ihave price com
petition with
other companies
tor international
spring break des
tinations, but not
for domestic des
tinations.
It is in the stu
dents’ best inter
est to research the
company they
lan to use,
lecham said,
hey should
check out other
options as well
because they may
find a more reliable
company that offers a
better deal, he said.
W Oustatson agreed.
“Students should check out
everything,” he said. “Call the local
Better Business Bureau, contact the
Department ofTransportation and the
FAA.” Everybody gives a good sales
pitch, but not everyone has a good
track record and is creditable.”
Ellis said College Tours has been
serving students since 1967. She has.
been on two tours in high schools that
were organized by the company, and
has traveled internationally with
them as well. College Tours does not
have a bad reputation, she said, and
she doesn’t think it will be getting
one.
“I like to call it the used-car syn
drome,” Mecham said. “Many com
panies are stereotyped as having bad
reputations, just like most used-car
salespeople. There are reliable spring
break companies out there. The chal
lenge is just finding them.”
Do the Homework
Business experts say the best strategy to avoid vacation scams is for con
sumers to do their homework. If a particular company or offer seems to good
to be true, contact the Comhusker Better Business Bureau at (402) 476
8822.
Consumers can research vacation companies by phone or on the Web:
College Tours (800)3954896,
http://www.collegetours.com
Inter-Campus Programs (800) 327-6013,
http://www.icpt.com
Sun Splash Tours (800)426-7710,
http://www.sunsplashtours.com
World Ventures Tours and Travel Inc. (800) 225-4386,
http://www.wvtt.com/spbreak.htm
Student Express, Inc. (800)787-3787,
http-.//www.aUcampus.com/travel/Links/StudentJExpress.htm
These Travel Agencies are Better Business Bureau members:
Adventure Travel
Four Seasons Travel
Good Life Tour and Travel
International Tours of Lincoln
Omni Travel
Travel Agents International
Travel and Transport
Van Duling Tour and Travel
