Tour points: Group leaders earn one Global Point per day per full-paying participant for the duration of the tour. Points are awarded for the total number of standard tour days only and not for stay-ahead/stay-behind periods or customized group stay-ahead/stay-behind periods. In addition, Global Points are not awarded for free-place participants, for participants who have received family or faculty discounts, or for participants who have canceled their enrollments or transferred to another tour. Global Points are credited as soon as EF processes the tour applications. Land-only participants do count toward Global Points, free places and stipends. Go Ahead Tours Global Points are credited after your tour has departed.
Points earned for optional excursions: Global Points will be added to each account automatically for prepaid optional excursion enrollments only, as soon as the pre-enrollment is received by EF. Credited points will be deducted if the optional excursion does not run or the participant cancels from the optional excursion. No points are awarded for optional excursions purchased on tour, for non-EF excursions or for optional excursions when payment is refunded.
Points earned through referrals: Referral points will not be awarded for co-group leaders who are traveling on the same tour. This applies to co-group leaders as well as to group leaders with the same tour and date request. The referred group leader must not have led a prior EF tour as a group leader or co-group leader. The referral bonus is not valid for a replacement group leader in the case that the original group leader is unable to travel. The group leader must travel with at least five paying participants to earn cash or points. The referred group leader cannot be a family member or a participant. EF will notify referring group leaders that they have qualified. A Global Point bonus will be automatically posted to the referring group leader's account on the day the referral departs on his or her EF Tour. EF will deduct points and send a check through EF¹s finance department if the referring group leader prefers cash. For referrals to EF Foundation for Foreign Study, Global Points will be awarded after U.S. high school students have been accepted to the EF Foundation program and have paid their deposit, or after local host families and coordinators have remained active for three months. Referral bonuses are valid for EF Educational Tours and EF Smithsonian only, not Go Ahead Tours. Referral points or bonuses are not retroactive.
Transferring points from other organizations: Only first-time group leaders may transfer points from other organizations. The travel organization from which the points are being transferred must have had a bonus points system in effect when the group leader traveled with that organization. Points are transferred on a 1:1 ratio and no special allowances are made for different forms of calculation. When transferring points, group leaders must submit an official bonus points statement from the awarding organization. (Up to 500 points may be transferred.)
Travel rewards: Group leaders may plan to extend their stay at a Global Points travel destination, generally at no additional cost, provided flight space is available. They must, however, arrange their own accommodations for the additional nights. Group leaders may request specific airlines; however, EF cannot guarantee accommodation of such requests. Travel rewards in the United States and Canada are based upon fares that require weekend stays. For domestic travel, group leaders must depart from and return to the same gateway. For European travel only, group leaders may request different arrival and departure gateways for a surcharge of 45 points per ticket within the same zone. If you are requesting gateways in different zones, the point total of the higher applies. All travel reward requests must originate in the U.S.
Point totals: The number of Global Points required for a reward must be credited to a group leader's account before he or she receives the reward. Group leaders cannot use cash to supplement point deficiencies. Global Points are non-negotiable, non-transferable, and have no alternative cash value. Under no circumstances may group leaders pool their points to claim Global Points Rewards. This applies to married couples even if they serve as co-group leaders on a tour. EF is happy to research any account discrepancies on Global Points, if we are contacted within one year of the time a group leader earned the points in question. Points are pending until group leader completes travel for given award year.
Expiration of Global Points: EF Global Points must be redeemed within five years from the year that they are credited to a group leader's account. The account must be active in accordance to these terms and conditions. For example, Global Points credited to your account in March 2003 would expire on December 31, 2008. Written requests for gift or travel rewards must be made before the expiration date. The exception is group leaders with Summa Cum Laude or President's Club status on or before December 31, 2002, whose points automatically have lifetime validity. EF reserves the right to make changes to the Global Rewards Program at any time without notice, including but not limited to changes in point expiration policies. If activity is not posted to an account for three consecutive years, the account is subject to termination, including forfeiture of all accrued Global Points.
Requests for Global Points travel rewards: Travel rewards include round-trip air transportation (except for cruises) and accommodations in superior tourist-class hotels (except for cruises and round-trip tickets). All requests for Global Points travel rewards must be submitted to EF online at eftours.com. Travel requests must be received at least 90 days prior to the requested departure date for Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, international destinations (except Canada), and cruises, and at least 60 days prior to the requested departure date for continental U.S. and Canadian destinations. Although EF makes every effort to accommodate desired dates of departure, EF cannot always guarantee exact dates, and some flexibility on the part of the group leader may be required. Travel rewards may not be used in conjunction with an EF tour. Once requests have been submitted, they cannot be modified. All travel rewards are based on flight and hotel availability. Should a group leader be unable to travel on his or her requested trip and need to cancel, the group leader must contact EF and the cancellation may result in forfeiture of points. Group leaders are responsible for all passport and visa requirements. EF is not responsible for cancellations due to entry requirements. In the event of weather delays or cancellations, the airlines will attempt rebooking. EF cannot guarantee rescheduling of trips or Global Point reimbursement.
Incentive validity dates: Travel and gift rewards and their corresponding point requirements listed in this guide are valid from January 1 to December 31, 2008. Point totals are subject to change.
Redemption restrictions: Only the items listed by EF are available; group leaders cannot upgrade gift rewards. Delivery of merchandise is approximately 4¬6 weeks after EF receives the written request for the item. EF reserves the right to make alterations to Global Point totals needed for travel and gift rewards and to discontinue or change rewards at any time.
Tour cancellation: If you cancel your tour, points you would have earned will be deducted from your account. Individual participant cancellations affect point totals. If you have redeemed these points for a travel reward, gift reward or convention and your cancellation or your participants' cancellation(s) results in a negative Global Points account balance, you will be invoiced for the full cost of the reward or convention. An invoice will be sent with a 60-day term. If this invoice is not paid in full by said date, the outstanding past due balance will be sent for collection. Group leaders must travel on their EF tour to qualify for benefits and incentives related to that tour, including but not limited to, Global Points, stipends, conventions and membership benefits. If a group leader cancels or transfers the tour to another group leader, the replacement group leader receives all benefits and incentives related to that tour.
Legal responsibilities: No warranties or representations apply to any EF Conventions or travel rewards redeemed. EF is not responsible for any events including, but not limited to, personal injury, property damage, or loss of earnings from any event whatsoever.
EF reserves the right to interpret and apply the policies and procedures communicated in the Guide to benefits for EF Group Leaders. All determinations by EF shall be final and conclusive in each case. The information in this guide supersedes all previous publications.
EF International Convention and Orientation terms and conditions
All EF International Conventions and Orientations include:
- Round-trip transportation from primary gateways
- Hotel accommodations
- Select meals
- Professionally-led sightseeing tours
- Guided excursions
- Personal attention of an EF Tour Director and EF staff
- Engaging discussion groups
To qualify:
- For a 2008 convention – Have participants enrolled ona 2008 tour and travel as the group leader
- For a 2009 convention - Have participants enrolled on a 2009 tour and travel as the group leader
- For all Paris Orientations – Have participants enrolled on your first EF Educational tour, and travel on Paris Orientation before your tour departs
- Earn the required number of Global Points
- Enroll online before the deadline, marking your preferred destinations
- Enroll required number of paid participants where applicable
EF International Convention and Orientation requests: Submit your convention request online at eftours.com as soon as you have qualified. Conventions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and may be full before the enrollment deadlines. We are not able to arrange stay-ahead/stay-behind options at convention or orientation destinations. Cancellations must be received by EF in writing at least 90 days prior to departure to avoid forfeiture of Global Points. Destinations are subject to change and cancellation. EF Orientations are for first-time group leaders only, and group leaders may only attend one orientation. Exact dates for summer conventions will be available in spring of 2009. All group leaders enrolled will receive notification of exact departure dates as soon as they are determined.
EF International Convention guests: Group Leaders may bring a maximum of one guest (paying or non-paying). All guests must be accompanied by an EF Group Leader. Convention guests must be at least 15 years of age. Detailed itineraries and rates for paying guests are available approximately 90 days prior to the convention¹s departure date. On EF Orientations, group leaders may not bring guests.