Our Story
Every company has a story, and ours is one certainly worth writing about.
In 2005, UK-based First Choice Holidays PLC, one of the most respected travel companies in the world, entered the North American student travel market initially with a focus on student leisure travel. Their first introduction to the growing educational travel market was through the acquisition of Impact Educational Tours in Toronto. First Choice liked what they saw happening at Impact and in educational tourism, which is one of the fastest growing specialty travel markets. In 2006 and 2007, First Choice acquired other leading educational tour companies in Canada and the United States, establishing itself as the largest company of its kind.
The three Ontario-based brands bought by First Choice (Impact Educational Tours, School Voyageurs, and Young Explorers) moved into a new Toronto office together in 2007. Working under the same roof enabled them to better share not only their best business practices with each other, but their innovative ideas, decades of combined experience, and their common passion for providing exceptional travel experiences to students.
In that same year, First Choice Holidays PLC merged with TUI AG, a German travel and transportation company, to form TUI Travel PLC. Under the direction of TUI Travel PLC, the educational travel group has become TUI Student Travel.
Moving forward as TUI Student Travel, we will continue to deliver the best possible travel experiences for students. TUI is committed to young people and to sustainable travel, and we are very excited to be a part of the family.