Debra Smith
Managing Director Student Travel Division
I retired from teaching after 25 years and founded Travel Leaders Student Tours 15+ years ago. I know first-hand how time consuming and stressful planning student/group travel can be.
I take away that stress so the teacher/group leader is able to sit back, relax and enjoy the travel experience with their travelers. I have extensive knowledge in planning and managing student trips; student travel is an entirely different animal than any other type of travel.
I am a certified Disney and Universal Youth travel provider and work with all major music festivals. Travel Leaders Student Tours handles ALL aspects of the trip; accommodations, transportation, meals, tickets, performance venues etc. I will consult with the teacher/group leader to define the objectives, establish a budget and negotiate/secure every element of the trip!
I firmly believe that travel should be an essential part of every child's education. It connects curriculum to reality, practice to performance, and classroom to career. It broadens minds while providing an enriching shared experience that students never forget.
Give me a call and let's get started! The world is waiting!
My Areas of Expertise
Student Travel Experience Matters
I founded Travel Leaders Student Tours 15+ years ago after I retired from teaching. Since then, I have served thousands of students, faculty and chaperones, planning enriching group tours to perfection. No app, video game or classroom lesson can take the place of hands-on experiences in the wide world beyond the... Read more from my Student Travel Experience Matters story.
Senior Trips
Your baby is a high school senior, now what? It's time to plan a memory that will last a lifetime; a Senior Trip!
I know the ends and outs of Senior Trips; theme parks, Broadway, fun in the sun, all-inclusive, cruises or something else. However, safety is #1 on the list!
Sit back, relax... Read more from my Senior Trips story.
Student Performance Travel
Whether it’s your school’s band, orchestra, choir, dance class, or drama club, I plan memorable performance opportunities so students perform in events of a lifetime and learn that practice makes perfect. I was an educator for 25 years and a band booster mom for 10; I understands the complexities of performance groups and what... Read more from my Student Performance Travel story.
Sit back, relax, and ENJOY
As a high school band director, it is so nice to be able to sit back, relax, and ENJOY a trip. Debra and Donna allow you to focus on the music and not on the travel details. They do everything they can to make a customized itinerary for your needs and always impress me by thinking of details I would not have noticed on my own.
Hats off to you!
The Choctaw County High School Class of 1975 thanks Springdale Travel Agent Debra Smith for planning a wonderful trip in New Orleans, LA. Celebrating our 40th class reunion was the best ever.
WOW!
This was a fantastic trip start to finish. Kudos to Debra. I have been following parent and student comments for the past two week since our return and all without exception have been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you for making this the trip of a lifetime!
Amazing Attention to Detail!
"Debra never ceases to amaze me with her organizational skills, knowledge of our destinations, ability to make things happen to suit the needs of our group, and her positive, professional attitude. She did a great job and we thoroughly enjoyed our New York experience. She is a fabulous representative of your company and I will continue to useTravel Leaders Student Tours for all future excursions because of her. Thanks again for our super experience!