Whether you’re planning a group trip for 10, 20, or 100 people, there is a lot to consider when planning for group trip. Having somebody in charge, knowing the plan, and keeping good track of expenses and travel arrangements are essential to keeping the vacation going — especially if there will be multiple families on the trip. Read on to find out what factors to consider when considering how to plan a group vacation!
Establish a Leader or Leaders before planning a group trip
Having an established leader or a small group of people who are “in charge” helps things go much more smoothly. This allows for a central person/group to answer questions about the trip, keep track of everything, and do the lion’s share of planning.
Establish a “leader” of the group way before any official plans are made to help keep everything centralized and plan a group trip.
Find Your Travel Destination
Of course, the highlight of group travel is going somewhere new with people you know! Talk as a group about the places you would all like to travel to most and make sure to come to a consensus.
If there are some that don’t like the choice of the group, look at alternative activities and destinations on the trip that might be more up their alley. If your kid doesn’t want to go to Germany for a winter trip, for example, you can show them all the fun European foods they will try.
Keep in mind, though, that travel costs will rise exponentially the further from home you will travel.
Set a Budget that works for everyone
It’s important to keep everybody included and avoid activities that will cut members of the group out strictly because of a lack of funds. This is especially true of the group activities you have planned.
If you’ve planned to go bungee-jumping as a group, but one person can’t afford it, your budget plan has failed as it hasn’t accounted for everybody’s enjoyment and inclusion.
Look for events and activities that everybody can do without breaking the bank.
You can go for St Barts Yacht Charters if everyone loves the idea.
Plan Flights and Transport Way Ahead of Time
It’s vital to pre-book flights, especially international flights, and other long-term travel as far in advance as possible. Not only does this guarantee your spot ahead of everybody else, but it also gives you the chance to get a refund if plans fall through.
Not every group trip works out in the end, and travel cancellation fees can be a huge hassle if you have to cut the trip close to the date.
This also goes for smaller transport. Charter bus rentals, trains, and other cross-country transportation methods for large groups require booking far in advance.
Keep on top of it and make a detailed itinerary so you don’t forget the boarding time!
Check Out Group Discounts
When asking how to plan a group trip, you can often take advantage of many discounts just based on the number of people in the group. Groupon is fantastic for this in the U.S., but you can also call ahead for your specific activity plans to see if there is indeed a bundle deal to be had.
Many outdoor activities, like nature hikes or tours, come with big group discounts. Another good example is children’s entertainment, which can become cheaper the more kids are taking part.
Just like with planning travel, book your activities and discounts way in advance so that if plans change you won’t have to deal with any fees. Booking in advance can also help you getting deals on luxury accommodations like Grace Bay Villas.
Choose a House over a Hotel while planning a group trip
Alternate options for long-term vacationing are becoming more and more popular every year, and hotels are kind of old school at this point (not to mention more expensive).
In every city in the world, you can rent out entire homes and large apartments to keep your group together without having to overpay a hotel.
In recent years Airbnb has been the most popular service to use for this type of short-term rental, but you can skim the listings of your destination to see if there are any local options not listed on third-party sites.
Plus, these homes are generally much more affordable to rent compared to hotels, especially if you all get cozy. Hotels might charge you more to separate your group, but a short-term rental unit gets cheaper with everyone who walks through the door. However, on the other hand, if you want to experience luxury and relaxation like never before, consider booking Grand Cayman villas. These villas offer an unparalleled experience that can’t be found in hotels.
Keep Track of Payments and Expenses
Part of managing and planning a group trip is keeping detailed records of expenses on the trip and payments for the activities and events you all take part in.
There are many group travel apps to try, and good old-fashioned pen and paper record keeping have yet to fail us yet. Whichever method you choose to keep track of the group’s finances, keep your group members accountable if they are going over the budget.
Nobody wants to sit out on the final day because they blew their vacation money on the first.
Planning a Group Trip is Easy, All Things Considered
When planning a group trip and coming up with group vacation ideas, always remember to keep everybody in mind. Don’t plan activities only a small number of guests will enjoy, avoid expensive activities that not everybody can take part in, and keep an eye out for offers and targeted deals for group travelers.
Aside from all that, and everything listed above, though? Group trip planning is really no different from planning a trip for a small number of people. The only thing that makes planning a group trip tougher is keeping track of all the people coming with you.
For more group travel and general travel content, check us out at Travel Crusade!