Whether your group trip includes family members or friends, making arrangements and booking accommodations for a larger number of people can be challenging. It can, however, save you some money as discount rates are often available for larger parties. For this reason, many families plan destination vacations as a group, including any variety of familial relationships.
Many adult siblings will plan their vacations together and travel with their spouses and children to a preferred destination spot, taking advantage of discounted rates and the opportunity to spend some quality time together. Friends, colleagues, and even sometimes acquaintances, plan and book vacations together to get the best deal possible on prime destination vacation deals. By pooling resources and chipping in on travel dollars, many people can afford a better trip through group travel. Here are some of the things to take into consideration when planning a group trip:
Cost and Budget Ranges
Finding a budget range that suits all parties in your group can be challenging, especially if you’re working with people in different income brackets or with widely disparate lifestyles. To make a group vacation work best for everyone, you’ll need common goals and a commitment to open and honest communication.
Setting and sticking to a price range that works for all parties is an essential part of planning a successful group vacation. Don’t find yourself stuck with the full package price or scrambling at the last minute to find someone else to purchase a portion of the travel package. Ensure that all parties are equally committed to enjoying the vacation as planned and be sure to split costs as evenly and fairly as possible.
Another thing to calculate is the best way to provide dining for all of those attending the group trips. Some ways to save money on food would be to find out if the hotel has complimentary breakfast and if the convention center will provide lunch. On many occasions, this can wipe out 2/3 of the costs it takes to feed your group. If dinner is the only meal that needs to be provided for associates, it works best to have the meals bought on one credit card. This can make totaling up the costs of the trip much simpler than tracking down the receipts of every person that went and deciding if their expenses were valid to be compensated for.
Comfortable and Private Accommodations
Different people have different preferences regarding hotel accommodations. While some families may be happy to share a suite, others may want more privacy. Ensure you have everyone’s individual preferences and requirements fully disclosed and documented before making any reservations. In some cases, you could also rent a condo and split the cost between the parties. In many cases, costs are much lower than renting separate hotel rooms, and you’ll have access to extra amenities such as a laundry room and a kitchen, which will allow you to further cut down on costs. If you’re traveling to Park City this summer, Resort Property Management offers Park City condos in a variety of price ranges.
Travel Arrangements
If you’re traveling with group members who have any special travel arrangement needs, you’ll need to know this in advance and plan accordingly. Securing special travel arrangements for young children, disabled or elderly individuals, or those with chronic health conditions is certainly possible.
Be sure to discuss any special needs well in advance of planning your actual package purchase. Make sure that all parties understand that the additional costs associated with their own special arrangements will fall to them as part of the fair and equitable distribution of package costs.
Once you have all your details at hand, you can more quickly find and secure the best deals possible for your group trip.
