There are plenty of reasons that groups travel together: a field trip for school, a conference for work, or maybe you feel like going on a vacation with your entire family. Regardless of the reason, traveling in a group is fun and has many advantages!
However, these advantages are only enjoyable if the logistics of your group travel experience are worked out. So, below are a few tips you may find helpful when traveling with a large group.
Find Each Person’s Strength
Any group probably has a range of social and mental strengths, whether it’s family, friends, or coworkers. One individual might be particularly great at giving directions, while another is perfect at finding the best deals at restaurants or museums.
Allow everyone in your party to show off their best qualities while you’re away from home. By assigning everyone a separate task, you prevent anyone from feeling overwhelmed and prevent anyone from becoming a control freak.
Organize Your Itinerary In A Place Everyone Can Access It
For most group excursions, booking everything from flights to restaurants can take weeks. Keeping everyone informed of itineraries and any new information during the planning stages of the trip will make the vacation run more smoothly overall.
Keeping the group informed can be done by curating lists and itineraries in places like Google Documents or sharing iPhone notes. Dropping links for everything, including the hotel and that one off-site day trip you will take, ensures that everyone knows the details and may voice any queries or concerns in advance.
If this is too much for you, think about a group chat of some sort so you can get everyone’s input and stay connected, especially if you’re the one planning the trip.
Make Your Plans In Advance
Set up a general planning meeting with everyone after choosing a group leader. Use this time to decide on dates that work for everyone’s job, family, and personal commitments. This is the perfect time to decide whether everyone wants an active vacation or a laid-back break.
You should also decide whether you want to remain in an all-inclusive resort or look into home sharing. There will be a lot of time later to make judgments on the little aspects, such as where to go for dinner each night.
Stick To Your Budget Range
Set a budget or, at the very least, a budget range, and make sure that you stick to it. This is also a great time to check out some possible discounts you may qualify for.
For example, there are ways you could save up to 10% or more by using group rates. Ask the hotel or activity whether they provide a discount or private tour rate if you are a group of eight or more.
Reserve Your Accommodations Ahead Of Time
Many hotels allow you to purchase a block of rooms so that visitors can make individual reservations. Each visitor will be capable of paying for their separate reservation while the rooms are held for them.
If possible, ask attendees to send money in advance when making group reservations for something like an Airbnb. That way, you can get all the money in one place without worrying about everything at the last minute. Plus, it will prevent anyone from coming up short.
Have Your Reservations Set Up In Advance
If there is a unique restaurant you’ve been wanting to try, or you need to reserve a bus charter to get you back and forth to a particular place for a day trip, book those ahead of time. By setting up your reservations far in advance, you steer clear of any potential hassles later on. Plus, it guarantees your spot and is one less thing to stress about during your trip.
Feel Free To Explore Alone
Just because you’re on a group trip doesn’t mean you have to stick together constantly. Each person will have a different list of must-see attractions or activities.
If you can’t all agree on what to do, divide into smaller groups based on what each person wants to do. While the other group visits a museum, one group may prefer to spend the day at the beach.
And if you want to do anything on a group vacation but no one else wants to join you, don’t be afraid to wander out on your own. You’re on vacation, too, so don’t return disappointed!
Is It Cheaper To Travel As A Group?
Whether or not you travel in a group highly depends on your situation. For example, it’s best to travel alone if you don’t have a large budget to work with.
On the other hand, if you’re looking at a 5-day trip to Ireland, or Hawaii, you might benefit from group travel since this will allow you to enjoy some activities you might otherwise not be able to afford if you’re traveling alone. This is because everyone puts money towards the activities and hotel in a group situation.
Is It Better To Travel Alone Or In A Group?
Whether or not it’s better to travel in a group or solo depends on your preferences. If you aren’t sure what the best choice is for you, consider all of the pros and cons for each situation.
Also, take a look at the dynamics of the trip you are taking. For example, are you wanting to stay in a 5-star resort? If so, that can cost quite a bit if you’re the only one paying for it. However, if you had a group and rented a couple of suites, this would be cheaper since everyone would be pitching in.
How Do You Buy Airline Tickets For Groups?
To buy airline tickets for your group, you can go through an air charter broker, especially if your group is large. On commercial flights, they usually have a limit for how many people you can book in a single group.
Do Commercial Airlines Have Group Rates?
Some airlines have group rates as long as you are flying with ten or more people. However, the number differs depending on the airline. Some might even have deals on premium seats or first class so that you and your group can comfortably fly to your destination.
