GroupTools is building the tools to help people to do things together in real life. We’re dedicated to connecting those in our community both online and off and as such, one of the great benefits of being a part of the GroupTools community, is participation in one of our Familiarization (FAM) trips and tours. FAM trips are invaluable for both our suppliers and our planners.

The Benefits of FAM Trips and Tours

For our planners, we are opening up experiences that they may otherwise be missing. Traditionally exclusive to professional level planners such as tour operators and travel agents, we extend the FAM opportunity to qualified group planners of all levels, including casual planners. The personal experience gained by visiting a destination or experiencing a program is key for planners to be able to best serve the needs of their group. Beyond gaining first-hand knowledge of what they are offering their groups, the opportunities to see new things, to stay up to date on what a destination has to offer, and to build relationships with other planners of all experience levels make these unique FAM experiences priceless for any planner.

For our suppliers, all the traditional benefits of participating in a FAM apply but, the unique mix of planners hosted on our FAM trips and tours are the key that sets ours apart for suppliers. This allows them the opportunity to personally connect with planners often overlooked by the traditional FAM format, thus expanding their visibility and reach in the group marketplace.

Discover Broadway Fall FAM Trip

This past weekend, the GroupTools team along with our partners Broadway Inbound and HotelPlanner, were delighted to connect with event planners on an exclusive trip to discover Broadway and explore New York City as a destination for their next potential group experience. The FAM trip provided attendees with a taste of attractions, hotels, and more allowing the group to see their potential events come to life in the Big Apple. Click here to view the itinerary.

Here’s a recap of the above trip:

Day 1: Welcome to New York

We kicked off our event with a tour of Hudson Yards and a visit to one of the city’s newest attractions, Vessel. Comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs — almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings — the vertical climb offers remarkable views of the city, the river and beyond. This extraordinary centerpiece of Hudson Yards is not be missed and provided the perfect introduction to NYC.

Sitting in the bull’s eye of Manhattan’s most famous locales – including Broadway theatres, 5th Avenue Shopping, Restaurant Row, World Class Museums, and nearby Central Park – is the Row NYC, which served not only as the home for our planners for this trip but also the host for the Welcome Reception that was the perfect end our first day in the City. Hosted in the Row’s own District M, our planners experienced the best of NY Hospitality at this chic Neapolitan Pizza bar and cocktail lounge.

Day 2: Experience and Explore

We started our day visiting New York City’s best filming locations with On Location Tours! Not only did this unique tour highlight a variety of locations we’ve all visited on screens big and small, it was also a wonderful way to tour Manhattan and visit some of its most iconic neighborhoods, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, SoHo and TriBeca. With so much to see and so many great stops along the way, On Location Tours provided a one of a kind experience in the most filmed city in the world.

The afternoon provided our planners free time to seek out and experience the perfect options specific to the needs of their groups. With guidance from our catalog of Group Experiences, they were able to find the ideal options to complete their own NYC Itineraries.

Finally the evening concluded at the iconic St. James Theatre, where our planners not only discovered Broadway but also discovered that love is a force of nature… at Disney’s new musical, Frozen. No trip to Manhattan is complete without taking in a Broadway show and this all-new production created for the stage by an award-winning team was the perfect feature piece for our trip.

Day 3: A Farewell to New Friends and Family

We closed our trip with a farewell breakfast at an iconic landmark hotel, in the heart of Time’s Square, the Paramount. The bustle of the street disappeared as our planners walked into the hotel to enjoy a beautifully set and delicious meal in a space filled with boutique ambiance and personality. 

Following breakfast, many planners stayed to experience more of what the city had to offer while others returned home. Whatever time they departed, they’ll be back soon with their own groups in what’s sure to be one of their new favorite cities.

Ready to find your Group Planning Family on Our FAM Trips?

We’d love to have you join the GroupTools community and take part in our FAM trips and tours as we add them to the schedule! If you’re a planner interested in discovering your next group destination the way we discovered Broadway over the weekend, simply click here to register for GroupTools and get started for free today. If you’re a supplier ready to be connected to your next group, contact us today.