Cultural Immersion Travel Peru

Placement organization

Name of organization: Cultural Immersion Travel Peru
Town/city: Cusco
Country: Peru
Website: http://www.citravelperu.com

Student

Name of student: Stéphanie Gruijters

Specialist area: MTT
Placement period: 2014-2015

Information about placement organization

Type of organization: Tour operator
Organization’s activities: Small local tour operator specialized in private tours in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The company provides visits to the most interesting and off the beaten track locations to experience the real Peru. The company also offers short tours by city in 9 different areas in Peru and a small selection of short tours in Bolivia and Ecuador.

Furthermore, CI Travel Peru offers Biking Tours (http://www.cuscobikingtours.com), Peruvian Cooking Classes (http://www.cuscoculinary.com) and Trekkings.
Target group of the organization: Independent travelers interested in unique travel experiences
Company culture: Informal, fun, young but hardworking team. Every Tuesday we have breakfast together and I always go out for lunch with my colleagues. We sometimes meet up after working hours to go out for a drink or go on a day trip in the weekend.
Number of employees: 8
Dress code: casual
Did the organization meet the agreements you made beforehand? Yes

Information about your placement

In which department(s) are you working? Sales Department
Brief description of your daily activities: Daily duties:
• Corresponding with clients via email, telephone and face to face
• Creating, quoting and selling specified itineraries/travel packages
• Handling client emergencies when required

Special duties:
• Contacting potential business partners
• Writing blogs
• Sustainability plan
Brief description of your company assignment: In order to reach new potential clients I carried out an analysis on the recent social media mix and online communications strategy of Cultural Immersion Travel Peru.
Comment briefly on your supervision by the organization: The supervision is good, my colleagues are very helpful. I can always talk to my supervisor if any difficulties occur and he asks me often how everything is going. Sometimes he is very busy because he is the owner of the company but there is always someone in the office that can supervise and help me.

Requirements for students on placement

What kind of personal skills are required for this placement? teamplayer, sociable, flexible
Additional company requirements for this placement? MS Office
English: Advanced
Spanish: Intermediate
French:
German:
Italian:
Other languages:

The trip

Mode of transport to reach your destination: airplane

Accommodation

How did you arrange your accommodation? through another student
How did you go to work every day? by foot

Visa / work permit / vaccinations

Do you need a visa? No, you will receive a tourist visa upon arrival at the Lima Airport
Do you need a work permit? No
How did you arrange the necessary documents: –
How much time did it take to arrange the necessary documents? –
Did you need certain vaccinations? Yes
How long in advance? 1 month

Language course

Did you take a language course before you started your placement? Yes
Would you recommend to have a language course prior to this placement? Yes

The costs in euros

Travelling expenses (e.g. return ticket): € € 950,-
Accommodation (monthly): € € 225,-
Local transport (monthly): € € 30,-
General costs of living (monthly): € € 250,-
Costs of visa: € –
Costs of work permit: € –
What did the company pay for/to you? Financial compensation of 1000 soles (approximately € 300,-)

Culture

How did you prepare for the country’s culture?
I did not really prepare for this
Did the culture of the country influence your performance during the placement in any way? No

Future students on placement

Future students are free to contact me for further information: Yes
My e-mail address: sagruijters@gmail.com

Other information

Recommendations on what to do and what not to do: I would not recommend to walk around the city by yourself late in the evening. Also, it is recommendable to take an official taxi. Taking the bus in Cusco is very cheap and easy but buses are usually crowded so do watch your belongings. Nevertheless, Cusco is a beautiful city and I feel very safe and at home. The city has a lot to offer so do walk around and explore the markets, neighborhoods, restaurants, bars and much more.
Leisure possibilities in the city/surroundings of where the placement took place: While in Cusco; Visit Machu Picchu, relax in the Sacred Valley, go on a kayak or horseback riding adventure or maybe you like ziplinen, bungeejumpen or paragliden. Take Salsa or Yoga classes after work. Have a drink in one of the many clubs and bars or enjoy a nice local dinner in one of the restaurants. There is so much to do and visit in Cusco. When you have the chance to travel during your stay in Peru, it is very easy to take the bus to Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, Arequipa (Colca Canyon), Amazon Jungle and many more places.

Media

Youtube link Youtube placement video link