Lately here on the blog, I’ve been touching on traveling tips quite a bit: I recently discussed ways to help you finance a vacation, where to go around the world for the most extreme adventures, tips for road trippin’ like a pro and, my favorite, tips for surviving a solo trip. Those are great and all but, what about a group trip?
I adore all sorts of travel but if I’m being completely honest, nothing beats having my husband by my side as we wander around this beautiful world together. Unfortunately, my travel partner is away for work for the next few months and, since I didn’t want my adventures to come to a halt, I initiated a new trip with some fellow bloggers to Scandinavia!
Me, being the complete stickler and perfectionist, volunteered myself to plan this trip and quickly became overwhelmed trying to accommodate everyone else. This led me to create a list of tips for helping you plan a successful group trip, especially if you’re the designated planner!
Here’s How to Plan a Successful Group Trip:
Have a Set Budget
Nothing is worse than planning out all of these different adventures in a trip only to realize one person can’t go due to funds. Before booking anything as part of a group trip, make note of what everyone’s budget is.
I had a full itinerary printed for the different adventures we’d be going on in Scandinavia then had to cancel them once we realized someone couldn’t afford it. Know everyone’s budget before starting to plan!
Have a Set Schedule
One of the most important things to organizing a successful group trip is setting a schedule. Why is this so important? A couple of reasons. First off, you want to get the other people interested in the trip (which will make everything cheaper with more people!) Once they know where they’re going or what to expect, they’re more likely to agree to come along.
A schedule is also incredibly important to keep the trip organized. In fact, without a schedule, things can become very chaotic, especially if you’re planning for a larger group of 50-60 people. Having a set schedule will determine when and where everyone needs to be, a notion that’s vital to a successful group trip!
Cater to Your Audience
While you’re planning out that itinerary, it’s important to consider who will be on the trip for the purposes of selecting the location, accommodations and activities. For example, organizing a strenuous hike through the Andes may not be the best idea for a group of people in their 80s. While planning my most recent trip to Belize, I had to mark kayaking and river tubing off the list because my mom is a tad less adventurous than me.
Buy Tickets as One
This is something that will require you to plan before doing. When planning a group trip, it’s imperative that you book everything as one to ensure that one person isn’t left out. All too often, especially with tours and adventures, companies put a cap on the capacity of the group they’ll allow entrance to. If you’re planning for a larger group, you may have to call beforehand to ensure they’re able to accommodate that size.
Consider Different Accommodations
Most people who travel automatically look for a hotel that can fit their whole group but what about other rental options? I’m a huge AirBnb fan as I’ve saved loads of money by utilizing their services, especially in popular places. Choosing a rental that can accommodate your group size may end up being cheaper than a hotel!
Plan for the Worst
Since you’re organizing this trip, it’s more probable that you’ll be the one who has to plan for every scenario. When people go on vacation, let’s be real, they can sometimes get pretty silly and think that rules don’t apply to them. You, as the organizer, must have a plan in place to deal with things like this.
One way you can combat any headaches with people not following along is by handing out a printed sheet of the details of the trip like meet up/drop off points and accommodations. This way, even if someone doesn’t make it to the meet up point, they’ll know where the group is so they’re able to catch up on their own without affecting the rest of the group’s trip.
Offer Additional Extras
When you’re organizing a trip, don’t be upset if not everybody takes part in the activities you’ve planned and be sure not to pressure everyone into doing things that they aren’t comfortable with. A perfect travel experience to some may include white water rafting and bungee jumping but, for others, walking through nature on a mild hike would suffice. Always add some sort of alternative extras to the trip so other people in the group can opt for that if they’d like.
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