The Staff Tour Directors

Experienced teachers know a good tour director makes or breaks an educational program and a great tour director transforms it! Of course, we’re not the only educational organization with great tour directors. Both ACIS and NETC have some very good examples of the profession. Many of our best tour directors have graduated from their ranks. However, only the European Institute can guarantee that you will have an experienced (and inspiring) tour director.

The massive volume of the juggernauts of the industry forces them to use rookies, who learn their job while running your tour. Sometimes this works out fine – often it does not. Why take the risk? With the European Institute, we guarantee you will have an experienced tour director. If for any reason, you are dissatisfied, we will replace him or her immediately. No ifs, ands or buts.

We pay our tour directors more than any other educational travel organization – and they’re still a bargain! Please read through some of these bios of some our tour directors. You might recognize some old friends. You’ll also understand how we can make this promise.

Alison Gatt
Many American students’ lives have been enriched by a tour program with Alison. Her enthusiasm and zest for teaching and interpreting foreign cultures to students has made her an outstanding tour director. A graduate of Hull University in modern languages, Alison began working with NETC in 1994 and immediately realized she had found her calling. Alison is equally at home throughout Europe but, if pushed, will admit that Italy is still her first love. Favorite European Institute tour: "Cinque Terre and the Italian Lakes".

Alex Freeland
Alex also graduated from NETC and ACIS as a tour director before joining the European Institute team. A linguist from Southampton University, Alex is not the person to join for a casual swim: a keen water polo player, he regularly swims a mile every morning before 7 a.m.! His favorite tour is "Cosmopolitan Europe": "This allows me to combine my love for Italy and my passion for Austria and the Alps".

Jonathan Holburn
We can only agree with the teacher who described Jonathan as a "national treasure". Jonathan studied Modern Languages at the University of Bradford in England, before moving to the United States. After great success in the educational travel world, Jonathan moved back to his beloved Paris where he delights in showing his groups the hidden Paris most groups will never see.