Nonprofit Travel Planner Membership in the Educational Travel Consortium (ETC) is intended for organizations that design, manage, or oversee educational travel programs on behalf of an institutional audience.
Eligible organizations include nonprofit institutions that operate travel programs for their members, alumni, constituents, or educational communities. These organizations typically partner with tour operators, destinations, and service providers to develop and deliver travel programs.
Examples of eligible institutions include:
- Colleges and universities
- Alumni associations
- Museums
- Zoos and aquariums
- Environmental or conservation organizations
- Cultural and heritage institutions
- Science centers
- Botanical gardens
- Educational nonprofits
Organizations applying for Travel Planner Membership are responsible for planning or overseeing travel programs for their constituencies rather than selling travel services directly to other organizations. Organizations that primarily operate tours or provide travel services should apply under the Destination, Operator, and Supplier (DOS) membership category.
ETC reserves the right to review all applications and determine eligibility at its sole discretion.
Membership Benefits
Build Stronger Travel Programs
- Connect with experienced tour operators, cruise companies, and destinations
- Identify trusted partners to design and operate your programs
- Expand and diversify your travel portfolio
Access a Curated Network
- Join a community of travel planners from universities, museums, and cultural institutions
- Exchange ideas, strategies, and best practices with peers
Participate in the Annual ETC Conference
- Engage with operators, destinations, and suppliers in a focused, relationship-driven setting
- Discover new program concepts and destinations
- Participate in structured networking and one-to-one meetings
Advance Your Professional Practice
- Attend educational sessions on program design, risk management, ethics, sustainability, and traveler engagement
- Stay current on trends shaping educational and affinity travel
Engage Year-Round Through the Member Portal
- Access recordings, resources, and industry insights
- Connect directly with peers and partners
- Participate in discussion groups and virtual programming
Membership Structure
When joining ETC, organizations select a membership level based on the number of staff members who will participate in ETC activities.Each membership level corresponds to the number of individual ETC participants from the organization. For example:
- Planner Membership – 1 Person = Allows one individual to participate in ETC.
- Planner Membership – 2 People = Allows two individuals from the same organization to participate in ETC.
ETC membership also determines how many individuals from an organization may attend ETC's Annual Conference at the member rate. For example:
- A 1-Person membership allows one attendee to attend ETC.
- 2-Person membership allows two attendees to attend ETC.
