To make sure your travel group has the best experience possible, you need to lay the right foundation from the beginning. To help you succeed on your next group trip (and have a good time), here are key tips on coordinating and planning group travel that you can adopt right now.
Group Planning Prerequisites
Creating a group planning prerequisite list is your key to setting the tone for an easy organizing process for yourself and others. To start, you will want to know your target group size, budgets, desired travel style, and travel goals (i.e., relax, go on adventures, be on the go, etc.).
The more you know about what your group wants, the better you can plan a trip that meets needs and gain your desired level of attendance and participation. Other key prerequisites include:
- Setting your budget and allocated amounts for each leg of the trip. Here you should have a set budget for activities, accommodations, meals, transportation, etc.
- Designating a group leader or leaders to be the main point of contact for information and support. This will reduce confusion and avoid having too many people doing the same thing at the same time, which often leads to frustration and wasted resources.
Create Your Itinerary Base
With your prerequisites handled, the next thing you should focus on is getting transportation and accommodations set in stone. Once you have addressed these travel factors, you will have a better idea of what you will need to cover in terms of timeframes, windows of opportunity, and on-site transportation. During this phase, keep in mind that there are often group discounts and travel deals that you can take advantage of which can help meet your group's budget goals.
Activity and Meal Plan In Advance
Travel booked? Check. Accommodations booked? Check. Next (and likely the most fun part about group travel organizing) is planning your activities and meals. During this part, you really have free reign to scope out your destination and discover all the cool things you can do together as a group. Though you can certainly do this part on your own if you are the leader, it would be wise to include your entire group during this part so they can have a say in how the trip itinerary should look. Surveys are a great way to share activity options with your group members and get their input to ensure you’re planning the ideal itinerary for everyone attending. Just be sure that whatever you choose to do to fill up your time that you don't overschedule, which could easily make your group feel more drained than fulfilled.
Have Some Backup Plans In Your Pocket
Remember all those awesome activities and landmarks you were considering that didn’t make the trip planning cut? Keep those in the back of your mind as a quick backup plan if something goes wrong with your current itinerary. In general, you never know when a scheduling error or fluke of fate can arise (like rain), and having a backup plan on standby is an excellent way to rebound from it. This doesn't mean you need to schedule two different things simultaneously, but simply use the idea as a safeguard for those “just in case” moments.
Don’t Forget To Add In Alone Time
Planning every single detail of your group travel trip is ideal for making it go smoothly. However, be sure to leave in some time or even a full day where your travelers can make their own plans. If there is one thing you should take from this, it is that not everything has to be organized down to the last second, and sometimes the best planning is no planning at all. Overall, giving your group some freedom to explore on their own however they wish is what can really be the big red bow that ties up the trip and makes it much more personal, immersive, and enriching for your group.
Organize, Plan, and Enjoy!
It doesn't matter if you're used to or new to group planning there's no doubt that there are many moving parts that need to be in place to make sure a group travel adventure is smooth, fun, and enjoyable. Luckily, with the planning tips and guidelines above, you can easily create a concrete roadmap that ensures no stone is left unturned before and during the travel organizing process.
Never forget that what you put into your travel planning is what you will get out of it in the end. When you do your due diligence and avoid tempting planning shortcuts, you are well on your way to creating a trip that will leave a lasting impression long after the trip ends. And while avoiding shortcuts is important, you can make your organizing process easy and fun with group travel planning software. GroupTools is here to help make your planning process safe and stress-free. Visit GroupTools to learn more or jump right into your planning today
