6 tips for group travel success
Group travel trips can be a really rewarding experience and the perfect way to see the world. Whether it’s a school trip, corporate getaway or just a large group of friends, the more people attending, the more fun to be had.
However, group travel planning can be far more challenging than planning a traditional holiday. For one thing, you have to coordinate the arrangements for 10 or more people, juggling their schedules, details and more.
But if you understand the best way to approach a group trip, you can make organising these getaways far simpler. You might even find it enjoyable.
Here are our six tips for group travel success, so you can get those details ironed out and sit back ready to enjoy your trip.
1. Appoint a leader
When handling a larger group of travellers, it’s best to appoint a leader, and if you're reading this article, then that is probably you.
Having one person in charge can make it much easier to listen to everyone’s feedback and opinions, with the leader getting the final say. This can reduce stress and arguments, and make it easier to finalise the details of the trip.
2. Make sure you all agree on the basics
There are some very basic details you need to agree on before you begin with the more in-depth planning. You first need to decide on a destination and the dates you’ll be travelling.
That said, if you're going away for a particular event or corporate conference, this may already be decided for you. If not, you might wish to put it down to a vote or to choose the destination that best suits your budget and tastes.
You can do the same with accommodation, deciding whether a hotel, Airbnb or other type of accommodation is going to be the most appropriate for the group.
3. Book group flights with a specialist
Getting to and from your chosen destination is arguably the biggest hurdle. From arranging group air travel to organising lifts or taxis from the airport, there’s a lot to think about.
As this can make or break your trip, especially with the whole group relying on these arrangements, it’s vital that you get this right.
Instead of trying to book a group of people on one flight yourself or trying to bag several separate bookings on the same plane, it’s far better to work with a group flight specialist or flight consolidator who can do the heavy lifting for you.
After all, when it comes to group flight booking, you don’t want to take any risks and a group flight specialist will not only arrange group air travel for you, but they will be on hand to offer advice and support.
Some group travel agents may also work with you on accommodation, transport and tours. But whatever you do, don’t leave those plane seats to chance. It’s always a good idea to book group flights through a specialist, the rest is much easier to handle yourself.
4. Consider (and talk about) money before you go
While the leader can arrange payments for things like accommodation and flight consolidators can make it easier for everyone to make their payments, you need to think about spending money while away.
For corporate travel, this might just mean expensing everything when you get back. However, for other group trips, you might want to determine if each individual will pay for their own food, drink, transport, tours, etc while away.
Alternatively, you could all pool your money and have just one person who pays for everything each day. This might be easier for student travel like school trips or big groups of friends and family.
5. Plan your itinerary ahead of time
Spontaneity can be great when travelling, but this tends to be better for smaller groups, couples or solo travellers. When you're juggling large groups, it’s better to plan activities, book tours and sort your itinerary ahead of time.
Again, corporate events may already determine the schedule or school trips may be organised around certain activities like visiting galleries or historic sites.
But if not, planning ahead of time can make your trip run much smoother, give everyone a good idea of what to expect and make sure you don't spend too much time wandering aimlessly.
This also means you can pay for some of the bigger activities before you arrive, removing some of the money stress during the trip.
6. Look for smaller group travel tours
Finally, when there are already quite a few of you in your party, the last thing you want is to join an overcrowded tour, where you stand at the back and can barely hear the guide.
So we suggest looking for smaller tour or expedition providers, particularly those that specialise in private group activities. This can make the experience a lot more interesting, personal and beneficial if you’re on an educational trip.
Are you planning a group travel experience this year?
If you’re currently planning a group travel experience and you are the chosen leader, you’ve come to the right place. Find out how we can help you book group flights and turn your trip planning into a reality. Simply get in touch with the team today. Find out how we can help
If you’re ready to book your corporate travel arrangements and you're in need of some support, find out how the team at BTG Travel Management can help with group air travel.