Far too often, tour companies are run by individuals from the world of education who have almost no experience in travel; on the other hand, there are tours run by people at travel agencies who don’t understand the needs of students! We are solidly grounded in both travel and education.
Our Tour Expertise Starts at the Top
AdvantEdge Tours wants to make your tour not only great, but outstanding. We are “hands-on,” and serious about what we do, but never so serious that we don’t have fun! We take care of everything to take away your worries.
Let’s talk a bit about our founders, C. Wayne Manzanares and Urte Land, to show you what makes AdvantEdge Tours so special.
C. Wayne Manzanares
There is very little Wayne Manzanares doesn’t know about providing tours for bands and musical groups! A retired band director himself, Wayne was “THE” band director for the State of Colorado. In fact, the First Place State Trophy for Colorado Marching Bands was named after him! He took his bands to such prestigious events as the Macy’s Day Parade in New York City and the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.
As a band director, Wayne had more than 25 years’ experience in leading groups on musical and educational tours throughout Europe and countless trips across the North America. He is active in groups such as the Colorado Bandmasters Association, Colorado Music Educators Association and the Student Youth Travel Association.
Due to Wayne’s expertise in both travel and music, band directors may rest assured that their tour is in the very best of hands. As with every other member of the AdvantEdge Tours staff, Wayne is current with all of the developments and requirements in the area of tour safety, music education and group travel.
Urte Land
Urte Land has been involved in the tourism industry for more than 25 years. Intensively trained in tourism in Germany, Urte went through a rigorous travel apprenticeship before working in the Corporate Travel and Group Business. She has arranged travel throughout the US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. She has earned certification as a student travel planner (CSTP) and is actively involved with the Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA).
AdvantEdge Tours: There is no Substitute for Experience
AdvantEdge Tours takes the worry out of student travel! We carefully prepare each trip to your group’s specific needs and we are committed to giving each group the best experience possible.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information and to share your ideas. You will see why our tours are so popular and successful!