You may be planning a holiday trip with your friends, family, bachelor parties, etc. On the upside, it means you get to explore the world with your favorite people but there are plenty of downsides too; bickering, indecision, and worse, fights. You may not get a chance to spend a lot of quality time with your group so you must be looking forward to memorable experiences which will be pleasant to look back on.
In a group, there is bound to be a difference of opinion so it is important to know how to handle such situations before they arise or when they do. We don’t want you feeling like taking a vacation from your vacation. Here are some tips that will make your trip run smoothly.
Appoint a leader
Assigning a travel group leader is important to keep everything and everyone moving. Depending on the different strengths of the group members, other responsibilities can also be assigned. Those who can read maps quite well, who is most comfortable asking strangers for directions, handling money, speaking foreign languages, etc.
Communication
Consider setting up a group text for constant communication amongst yourselves. It can come in handy when you are separated by choice or by accident. Make sure each person knows the name of the hotel or has a plan/itinerary. You can also create a Google doc and share all the relevant information from the hotel, groceries list, phone numbers, etc. Also, be open to new ideas and suggestions from group members. Everyone should feel like they have a voice.
Plan alone time
The group doesn’t have to be together from dawn until dusk. Make sure you plan some alone time to give everyone a chance to do their own thing. Sleep, read a book, visit some historical sites, etc., and maybe meet up for dinner with the rest of the group. The group members will appreciate this. This might be a good time for people to check off some places from their checklist that they may not be in the group itinerary. You are paying for the trip so you might as well wander off and tick off your own must see and must do.
Plan in advance
There are some details of your trip that you may want to plan in advance. Examples are adjoining hotel rooms, dinner tables, reservations at some attractions site, minivans, etc. While at it, look for large group discounts which are best purchased in advance. It will save you some bucks too. Sometimes you can ask if they offer such discounts. If you have kids on your trip, you might also want to see if you can find a babysitter to watch your kids and many more minute details.
Planning Services
You could opt for trip planning services, travel agents, or tour groups to handle all the logistics for you. They cover everything necessary so this takes the hassle off of you. Of course, there is a service fee involved but it may save you more, in the long run, trying to figure things out on the go.