It is clear to all of us that group trips, with friends or family, are always the most exciting and the most memorable. However, organizing group trips is often not an easy task. From finding the ideal destination for everyone, to agreeing on dates and accommodation, it can lead to arguments and often results in trips being postponed so long that they never take place.
At Passporter we are aware that these little details can make the difference between getting on a plane and seeing that destination you’ve been dreaming of for so long. That’s why, in this post, we bring you the best tips so that, from now on, you can organize your group travel without overthinking it.
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What should I consider before organizing a group trip?
Normally in group travel, there is one person who takes on the role of the “organizer”. That person is in charge of finding the best deals, plane or train tickets and looking for the best accommodation. However, before organizing a group trip, there are several factors to take into account that the whole group must agree on. From the basics such as budget, to details such as what activities to do once at the destination. It is important to consider every step of the adventure, as it will help you to organize a trip that the whole group agrees on. And even save time and money by avoiding last minute decisions.
For example, buying tickets online for certain activities or guided tours can be cheaper than buying them directly at the destination through travel agencies or your own hotel. The same goes for flight bookings and accommodation, booking in advance will save you from having to pay large sums for one of the few hotel beds left for your travel dates.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
What are the main difficulties when organising a trip with groups of friends?
The factors mentioned above are often the main reason why those trips you’ve been talking about for so long with your group of friends is always up in the air. The destination, the dates, the accommodation, the budget… these are usually the aspects that generate the most differences.
1. Budget, a key factor for group travel
Budget is the key to any trip, as it will depend on how much money you are willing to invest and will condition all other factors. With group travel, you need to be especially tolerant and understand that not everyone in the group can afford to have the same budget. Therefore, a good idea before you start looking for a destination or accommodation is to agree on a travel budget that everyone in the group is comfortable with. That way, no one will have to say no to eating at a certain restaurant or going on a certain excursion because of money. Or even go so far as to cancel the trip.
There are websites that help you calculate travel budgets based on destination and duration, an example of which is adonde-and-when.co.uk
2. Destination and dates, the cornerstones of any group trip
Of course, a trip doesn’t happen without a destination and dates to organize it around. Often coming to a conclusion that the whole group can agree on is the hardest part of travelling. That is why it is important to plan trips in advance and try to adapt them to dates that suit everyone, or failing that, the majority. Using tools such as Google Calendar makes it much easier to find dates, as having a shared calendar allows you to see everyone’s availability.
As for the destination, it is worth noting that, especially in large groups, it can be difficult to all share exactly the same interests. However, there is no point in closing yourself off and not accepting suggestions. To find destination inspiration, you can use Passporter, where thousands of users share their trips. Through itineraries, images and travel tips, you can find thousands of destinations that you may never have thought of before and share them with your group to get ideas. Another useful option is to go to the Skyscanner search engine and select “Explore anywhere”. Then, depending on your dates, you can see which are the cheapest flights to different airports.
3. Other factors: accommodation, excursions, transport
Once all of the above have been decided, there will always be a few details that are usually not so crucial for organizing group trips. And it is usually easier to find consensus among them.
Surveys can be a good way to choose between different accommodations, excursions or even which transport to use once you arrive at your destination.
Webs like Booking or Airbnb allow you to save your favourite accommodations in folders and share them with friends. And for inspiration on excursions, itineraries, best photo spots, restaurants, etc. you can use Passporter. This way, you can send your friends your favourite itineraries of your destination or even create your own and share it with them. You can also add information and modify it, so that all opinions are taken into account, and it’s easier to organize it.
And as you may have guessed, at Passporter we’ve thought of everything to make organizing your group trip as easy as possible. Indeed, from the app you can not only book airline tickets, but also your accommodation and transfers through the integrated search engines of Booking.com and Mytransfers. And you can also save your favourite accommodations to have all the organization of your trip centralized in a single tool.
4. Expense control
Another important issue in group travel that can sometimes even become a taboo topic is expense control. After several days of travel, it is easy to lose track of exactly how much money is owed to which person. To solve this problem, it’s best to make use of apps like Tricount or Splitwise right from the start. With them, you can make sure that everyone pays their fair share.
These apps allow you to manage your expenses and add up the payments made by each member of the group. This way, at the end of your trips, you will have a clear and specific list of payments and debts. In this way, you don’t have to stop to calculate the transactions one by one. You simply add them to the app and it does the tallying.
5. Group communication in travel
Communication is vital for any plan. Whether we’re talking about group travel or anything else, to go smoothly and without creating problems.
Of course, keeping your fellow travellers informed about the different options, plans, packages, itineraries… is essential. However, sometimes it can be a bit tedious, as keeping everyone in the group informed of every detail of the trips requires a lot of implication.
That’s why there are options that make the whole process easier, and one of them is Passporter. With the Passporter travel app, you can share everything with your travel companions at all times through a single platform. This way, no one will be able to say that they “didn’t read the group” or didn’t know the time of a booking. All the information you want to share is recorded in the shared trip. From bookings, to tips or even inspirational photos, if all your friends download the app and share the trip with them, they will have live access to all the trip details in one app.
What’s the best way to organize group travel?
Of course, there is no one way to organize group travel. From going to a travel agency that organizes everything for you, albeit in exchange for a handsome fee, to diving into thousands of websites or simply using a single tool that centralizes everything, everyone has the method that works best for them. Here are a few options for organizing group travel
1. Travel agencies
To organize a trip with a travel agency, agree with the group on the purpose of the trip and the available budget to determine the destination and activities. Then, you should research different travel agencies that offer services for groups. Compare the options and choose the right agency according to your interests. One of the most common mistakes is to go to the first agency you find without reading reviews or comparing prices.
Finally, contact the selected agency to discuss your needs and expectations. Make sure they can offer the necessary services, such as transport, accommodation, activities, tour guides and so on.
Organising a group trip with a travel agency can be an excellent option for those who are looking for a carefree travel experience and who have a budget that allows them to pay a little extra in exchange for getting everything done. Also, travel agencies can have limited itineraries and can’t always accommodate the individual needs of each group. So, it’s easy to feel pressured to follow a strict schedule or activities that don’t suit you.
2. Travel Guides
Organizing a trip via a guidebook can be a good idea, as you will be able to find a lot of information and just select the one you are most interested in, without any kind of compromise. In addition, a good travel guide will be full of valuable tips and advice that will help you get to know the local culture and avoid many of the more touristy places.
However, organizing a group trip via a guidebook is a somewhat unrealistic concept, as they are not intended for this type of use. In addition, it is very likely that you will need to check much of the information you find. Often, the places recommended in older editions no longer exist or have changed address. So, we believe that guidebooks are above all a good complement to the organization of your group travel.
3. Surfing around on different websites
One of the most popular options is to surf through hundreds of websites and price comparison sites to find the destinations, itineraries, accommodation, flights, activities, etc. that best suit the trip you have in mind. There are many advantages to this method, such as being able to compare the best prices, read reviews, customize your trip just the way you want it.
If you don’t mind spending hours in front of your computer screen or having dozens of tabs open with different information about your trip, this is definitely the option for you. However, many of us agree that the concept of “multi-tabbing” and spending hours and hours searching the internet is more of an inconvenience. And one of the reasons why it is so tedious and complicated to organize a trip.
4. Passporter, a single tool to help you organize your group travel
If all of the above doesn’t convince you to organize your group travel, and you want an app where you can have all the information you need for your trip, from landmarks to documents such as reservations and boarding passes and much more, you can use Passporter.
This app is not only perfect for planning your travel itineraries from start to finish, but it also allows you to discover the experiences of other travellers and find those special places you’re looking for. Through thousands of high quality photos that you can save, you’ll get the perfect inspiration for your next trip.
The aim of Passporter is to offer tourists a different and user-friendly travel experience. This social network for the exchange of photographs, itineraries and recommendations between tourists has evolved into a tool that accompanies its users during all phases of the trip. Before travelling, it provides inspiration, puts documents and reservations in order for greater accessibility and helps plan itineraries through landmarks and categories. During the trip, it helps keep information organized and up to date and guides users through geolocation. And after the trip, it allows you to share your own trip in images and recommendations to other users.
Thus, it is very useful for organizing group trips, as it allows you to share all of the above with your friends who have the app downloaded. Everything can be shared. From general aspects such as trip inspiration, to details such as documents and maps with landmarks like your hotel.
How to organize your group travel with Passporter
Register or download the Passporter App and discover all its functionalities:
- Get inspired by other travellers’ experiences, photos and itineraries
- Organize your trip by the categories that suit you best: dates, number of days or type of trip (beach, mountain, restaurants…).
- Add your friends so they can see and modify all the plans and information about the trip.
- Create your own itinerary for your destination with everything you want to visit each day.
- Add the stops that interest you the most, including your accommodation, restaurants, museums…
- Book your flights, accommodation, transfers and activities through a single app.
- Save all your documents in the app, so you always have everything at hand: reservations, boarding passes, important documentation…
- Make any modifications you need, and you’re all set for your trip.
- Share your experience with other users. Upload photos of the places you have visited on your trip to the app and inspire other travellers with your experience
- Enjoy your group travel!
Which are the best companies for hiring organized group travel
And of course you can always leave the whole trip in the hands of a company and forget about it. These companies aren’t usually the cheapest, but if it’s within your budget, you’ll be sure to avoid a few worries. So, what are the best companies to hire for organized group travel?
1 . Weroad
WeRoad is an Italian company dedicated to organizing group trips for young people and adults between the ages of 21 and 49. With around 70 organized tours all over the world, WeRoad’s trips are led by local guides selected and trained by the company. Their main objective is to offer authentic and unique experiences to participants, allowing them to discover new places and cultures while making lasting friendships. A few days before the trip, WeRoad guides create a WhatsApp group with the numbers of the trip members. So, those who don’t know each other can introduce themselves. This way, not only can you travel with your friends, but you can also meet people from all over the world.
In addition to its group tours, WeRoad also offers accommodation and activity booking services for those who prefer to travel on their own. The company is committed to sustainable and responsible tourism, respecting the environment and local cultures. In short, WeRoad is a travel company that focuses on providing authentic and unique experiences for young adults, with a focus on friendship, adventure and respect for the environment and local cultures.
2. TravelPerk
In case you are looking for an agency that organises group travel for companies, TravelPerk will be your ally. TravelPerk offers an all-in-one solution for companies that need to book travel and manage their employees’ expenses. The platform manages the booking of flights, accommodation and transport and allows users to simply enjoy the company trip.
With 24-hour assistance, TravelPerk has revolutionized the way business group travel is organized. Its users have access to booking flights, accommodation, car hire, etc. from a single platform.
Frequently asked questions about group travel
This is a very personal issue for each group because it depends on their interests and budget. First it is important to agree on what kind of trip you want to do: beach, mountain, adventure, tourist, all-inclusive, cruise…. Once you have agreed on this, you can propose different destinations and vote for your favourite. Some of the most popular group travel destinations are:
–Cancun, Mexico,
–Riviera Maya, Mexico,
–Algarve, Portugal,
–Barcelona, Spain,
–Amsterdam, Netherlands.
1. A clear budget
2. A destination and dates that everyone agrees on.
3. An itinerary for the number of days you will be travelling.
4. Good communication and sharing every step of the trip with the whole group.
5. Documents, reservations, etc. Have them always at hand.
6. Enjoy the experience!
And if you want a tool that you can always carry in your pocket, download Passporter on your mobile phone where you can get inspired with itineraries and create your own, save all the information related to your trip, from reservations, documents, boarding passes, accommodations… And share it in real time with your travel companions who have the app downloaded.
–WeRoad: a group travel agency with more than 70 plans all over the world. You can sign up alone and join a group, where you will meet people and create new bonds and friendships. Or travel with your group of friends.
–TravelPerk: a travel agency specializing in business group travel.
–Barceló Viajes: a travel agency that offers services for groups, such as transport, accommodation, activities and tour guides.
–Travelplan: a travel agency offering services for groups, with options including transport, accommodation and activities specializing in trips to exotic and far-flung destinations.
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