Group travel has always been, and will always be, very popular. Whether you are heading to foreign lands to celebrate a special occasion or travelling for an overseas event – holidaying as a group is certainly a timeless way to travel in style. The one downside? As stressful as travelling by yourself or as a couple can be; group travel has the potential for a lot more stress.
For a smooth-running group trip that everyone will remember for years to come, follow our tips to ensure the planning process is as simple as possible.
Get everyone together
There are lots of ways in which organising a group trip can go wrong, so getting everyone together first to discuss plans is the most sensible way to kick things off. In initial discussions you can decide upon budget, destinations, times, and more to help you figure out what everyone’s priorities are and where the ideal destination for the group is.
Some great ideas for group trips include skiing in the French Alps, wine tasting in California or partying in Ibiza.
Put someone in charge
Too many cooks spoil the broth, and with too many people making arrangements for your trip, things will soon get confusing. The best way to avoid this is by appointing one or two people to oversee all the details, or instead, you could split the tasks between all of the people within the group.
Even if one or two people are taking the lead with organising the trip, why not create a cloud document that everyone can access to keep up with the latest plans? Not only does this help everyone to see what the current state of the plans is, but it can also keep the group up to date with any payments that are due and to offer input on different ideas.
Leave it to the professionals
If organisation isn’t a strong quality within your group, you might want to consider getting a seasoned professional to plan your trip.
Specialist luxury group travel agents are a fantastic solution for helping you achieve your dream holiday without the hassle of booking it yourself. With the right agent, you can specify your requirements and provide a budget that suits everyone. Eliminate the stress of group travel by having someone else take care of it for you!
Set a budget
In groups, money can be a serious cause of friction and frustration. With this in mind, it’s better to iron out money issues before they even appear. To help you deal with group finances, you could set a budget (with a buffer) and make use of a joint account via PayPal or another form of bank account. Having a group fund will mean there’s no awkwardness about who is paying for what, and it puts everyone on the same footing. Choose someone trustworthy in the group to handle the money and make sure everyone receives regular updates on how much is remaining.
Take the hassle out of travel with a private jet
Travelling on commercial airplanes can cause all kinds of problems for groups. These days, one big problem is groups being separated due to having to pay extra to sit together, or even due to overbooking. If your group has the budget, why not opt for a much more enjoyable experience and charter a plane instead?
Though it sounds like a pure luxury, chartering a plane is not as expensive as one might expect. The cost to charter in the UK is reasonable in comparison to the cost of first class flights. Hiring a private plane could even work out as a more attractive option when split between a large group, when compared to first class commercial travel. Money aside, going private can reduce a lot of the stress of travel, and means you can get your trip started as soon as you get on the plane – without worrying about any other passengers and delays. Once you go private, you’ll never want to travel any other way!
Choose luxury accommodation
Booking group accommodation provides you with a large number of options for your group. Airbnb is the place to go to find luxury retreats for your group, providing you with plenty of Instagram-worthy views during your stay. Booking via a website like Airbnb and finding self-catering accommodation offers great flexibility for groups. Renting an entire property gives individuals the much-needed alone time when they want it, as well as some great opportunities to enjoy group dining and entertainment.
After all, you always have the option of bringing in a private chef if nobody is up to cooking during your trip. The right accommodation for your group should feature enough bedrooms and bathrooms for everyone to have a comfortable stay, with luxury additions like a pool or hot tub always being welcome too.
Plan crowd-pleasing activities
One of the difficulties about travelling as a group is that everyone has different interests. Of course, this can make it tricky to plan activities that tick the right boxes for everyone. With some forward planning, however, this can easily be resolved.
Why not let each person in the group select an activity which everyone will take part in? It’s a good way for your family or group of friends to try something new and would also undoubtedly make the group feel closer during the bonding time. Some educational, yet fun, group activities include cookery classes; wine tasting; walking tours; spending a glamourous day yachting; sunbathing at a beach club or resort; or getting active with some watersports.
Make sure there’s plenty of downtime
While it’s good to arrange some active days whilst on holiday, it is still meant to be a ‘holiday’, so don’t go overboard with organised fun.
Your friends and family will want to take time out to relax and enjoy some time to themselves, so make sure you factor this into the itinerary. If you’ve got an action-packed day planned, follow it up with a serene evening or minimal activity the next day.
Spending too much time together whilst away can sometimes lead to disagreements, so a bit of time apart is definitely not a bad thing when it comes to travelling as a group.
Get together to reminisce
The only bad part of a holiday, is the inevitable post-holiday blues. Make time to meet up with the same group of friends once you’re back on home soil, and relive your memories of the trip together.
Laughing and chatting about good times spent together whilst away might even be the right catalyst to start planning your next trip together.
Group travel is something everyone should experience, especially as it opens up a lot of luxury and once-in-a-lifetime travel opportunities. Where will your first group trip take you? Start planning now.
