4 Tips You Need to Know Before Planning Group Travel
As someone who loves solo travel, I must admit that I enjoy group travel too. Sure, being solo on your journey is something else, but group camaraderie is special too. When I’m in a moment in a beautiful place, I like to appreciate it and enjoy it by myself, until soon after I realize I would like for someone by my side to share it with. It could be anyone, what’s important is that the moment be shared with someone who can see and appreciate it for the same reason you do. Happiness is indeed doubled when shared.
In addition to that, being in a group gives you this big boost of comfort and safety. Whether it’s your family, distant cousins, close friends, extended family or colleagues, being in a group gives you a sense of belonging and fellowship. With the current times, please make sure you and your group take utmost care so you enjoy the trip safely. So if you’re looking for a weekend holiday for family or a month-long trip for friends, there are a few things to keep in mind to make it a memorable experience for everybody involved. After all, the stories made on this trip will be told for years to come. Read on!
- Aye aye, Captain!
The leader of the trip is usually self-appointed and is likely the most enthusiastic one, since they took all the initiatives to make this happen. Of course, we’re all adults here and this isn’t a school trip where the class teacher is in charge and needs to keep us walking in a line. We’re all free to make our own decisions but it is nice to have a go-to person – one who may have more answers than the others, one who knows the steps to make the trip a success, one who is good with itineraries, one who may have researched this place the most, or simply someone who may be familiar and more experienced with the place. Remember, you need to choose a leader, not a dictator. Just someone to add some method to the madness. Maybe two of them if one isn’t enough. Another angle to this, which has worked well for me, is to have a different person in charge for every different aspect of the trip, since every person has their strengths. That way, everybody is the captain of their section on the ship!
- Avoid Budging on the Budget
First thing first, every trip begins with the budget. Is the destination doable for everybody involved? Travel and accommodation usually have a fixed budget and are the easiest to stick to. Budgets are bound to change depending on what the group decides to do once there. Since it depends on activities like shopping, that can remain a flexible and personal budget. The tricky one may be food and drinks. There are apps that make it easier, but make sure it’s pre-decided – whether it’ll be split item-wise or all will go Dutch. When it comes to settling accounts, it’s best to get it out of the way soon, so you all can enjoy the rest of your trip.
- Pre-book, don’t Pre-sume
Advanced bookings will help everybody make the best of the budget. Pre-booked flights and hotels go a long way in saving up as well as sticking to the plan. Everybody is up for the plan in the initial stages, but when you get closer to the date, you might find the usual suspects sneakily excusing themselves from the trip. When things are pre-booked and pre-paid, it’ll help show who’s actually serious about the trip and nobody needs to worry about pending confirmations. Group rates will only benefit everybody, especially when it comes to tours and other activities.
- Stick Together, Stay Together
When it comes to groups of friends or family, hotels will naturally turn out expensive. Not just that, you may not find that proximity that you would in a big house. A large villa will not only accommodate everybody, but will also have everyone closer together so they can even enjoy simple activities like cooking together or playing games together. Having said that, when you do leave the villa to explore the destination in question, feel free to split up. Nobody should have to sacrifice their personal to-do list just because the rest of the group may not be interested in that activity. Everyone likes to enjoy places in different ways. Make sub-groups if needed or go for walks by yourself, don’t compromise on your freedom. If the group is met with the choice between two things on one day, feel free to split up – some may find the museum more amusing than an amusement park. At the end of the day, you will all be back together at the villa anyway. Speaking of, we have some incredible options of luxury villas to accommodate groups of all sizes. From groups of 5 to 35, our villas have you covered in all the popular destinations across the country.
We understand that planning a group trip can be stressful, whether you’re the captain or not, so we hope the above tips help you guys out. The important thing is to enjoy the little things together so you can make memories to be cherished forever. Even more important right now is to take necessary precautions for the pandemic. If you’re careful enough, it is viable to travel and have a good time. A little planning goes a long way, so we hope you and your loved ones have an exciting journey ahead!
