Congratulations! You've got a group of people who want to travel together. It could be a destination wedding, a family reunion to an exotic location, a golf group, a group of friends just wanting to get away together,or a bachelor or bachelorette party.
If you're leading the group, it can be overwhelming to think about coordinating travel plans for a large (or small) group. But once you know the ins and outs, you'll see that there are ways to make sure that:
- Your group stays together
- Availability of rooms is guaranteed at your chosen resort
- Your guests save money
- You and your guests gain access to exclusive perks and upgrades.
First we'll start with the questions, "What is a group?" and "How many people do I need to qualify as a group?". In general a group is considered to be a party of people traveling together that will occupy at least 10 rooms. For some resorts and group promotions, a group may be as small as 5 rooms, so be sure to check with your travel agent as you may qualify for some group bonuses such as a free room or upgrade. Read on below for more details about these potential bonuses.
Don't make the mistake of letting your guests book on their own. They will get no discount, your group will get no special amenities, and the resort might not even know you are all traveling together. There are better ways to book group travel:
- Block group space with your agent - if you know how many people will be coming, what type of room they want, and how many nights they will be staying, this could be the best way to book your group. A deposit will be required for all the rooms and there may be penalties for dropping rooms from your reservation, but your pricing will be locked in and your rooms are being held just for you. In addition, you don't have to worry about the resort selling out and some of your guests not being able to secure a reservation (this happens most often with peak travel time to a popular resort). Also, many resorts will offer perks and extra amenities to groups booked this way - room upgrades, free rooms, complimentary group gatherings, or a free wedding package. The resort will also make every effort to keep your guests as close together as possible.
- Book using a group code - this option is perfect if you don't want to put down a deposit and/or you're not sure of how many people will be coming. Using this method, your travel agent will secure a group booking code for your guests that 1) tells the resort who is traveling together and 2) provides a discount for your guests whenever they get around to booking. The downside is that pricing can vary based on when the traveler books and no rooms are being held aside for your guests, so the resort can sellout before all of your guests have booked. Extra amenities are usually provided for groups booked in this manner, just as they are for blocked group space..
There you have it, booking a group can be a snap! Once you have made the group arrangements, be sure to let everyone in the group know what they need to do and who they should contact. You can even start a facebook group or a special webpage to keep everyone up-to-date. Don't forget to think about special events for your group. Private dinners, themed excursions, photo opportunities, vow renewals, spa and golf outings, and more can all be arranged in advance by your travel agent.
Fun 'n Sun Travel & Cruise provides friendly, personal, professional service in order to plan each and every client's dream vacation, destination wedding, honeymoon, or cruise at one of the best prices available. Call us at 1-855-557-5588, visit us on the web at fnstravel.com, or email us at info@fnstravel.com.
