The Group Travel Style is for a group of travelers (friends, family, or guests of an event/retreat) who want to make the most memories abroad together. Depending on what type of individuals you are traveling with, the group’s interest can range in priorities from partying to relaxing, exploring and adventure, or another combination of sorts.
Types of Travelers to Invite on a Group Trip
The Type A Traveler
This traveler is super organized and likes to make lists, spreadsheets, itineraries, map links, etc. for any event in their life, and especially when it comes to travel. This is typically someone who is extremely detailed oriented or structured by nature. Every group of friends has at least one Type A traveler (if you don’t, you’re totally missing out) and if you don’t know who the Type A friend is, then it’s probably you! This person is usually someone who has been abroad before or they’ve done enough research and planning to know what to expect when going abroad.
The downfall of this traveler is they might exhaust themselves in the planning process by trying to make everything perfect. Ways to help this person is by sharing some of the responsibilities. For example, navigating the group to dinner one night, booking a beach club reservation, or coming up with a few activities (with links and information readily available) for the group’s itinerary. Little bits of help go a long way for this traveler, because every now and then, they can get overwhelmed taking on all the responsibility. Another trait of the Type A traveler that surface within the group is their need to be punctual on timing and plans…which could make them less willing to be flexible on the itinerary.
The Experienced Traveler
It’s always a great idea to travel with someone who has already travelled abroad before. Their presence can relax the group knowing someone has experience using public transportation, navigating directions, and knows helpful information like what the typical fashion or cultural norms are. This traveler is usually someone who has either studied abroad, lived abroad, or grew up vacationing abroad often.
You’ll know this type of person because they are either really passionate in telling you about their past experiences abroad or they are more nonchalant about it because they only went abroad on family vacations when they were younger and either didn’t pay attention much to planning or don’t remember the details.
Be careful though, at times the downfall of this traveler is that they might think they know it all because they’ve been abroad before. They don’t mean any harm when boasting, they are likely just reminiscing and really excited about sharing the same story you’ve heard for the 100th time lol.
The Bilingual Traveler
These people speak multiple languages, have studied the language, or at the very least, feel comfortable speaking or attempting to speak the foreign language. This traveler takes on the role of “translator” to ask questions or give information on behalf of the group. For instance, checking into a hotel, arriving to a restaurant reservation, asking for directions. It’s always beneficial to have someone who speaks the language of the country you’re visiting because it separates your group from other groups of tourists.
There have been many times when I’ve received a table with a better view because I spoke in Italian with the hostess…or by speaking Italian with the restaurant owner they’ve sent free treats to the table…it’s also gotten our friends into places or around dress code issues because I started speaking Italian to the doorman. If you don’t believe me, test it out yourself by challenging your friends to scoring a table at a full restaurant on a Friday night. After their denial, go in afterwards and start speaking (in the native language) with the hostess. Whereas the friend before you would have been denied completely, you might get a “come back at 9:45pm”. It’s the little things but it typically does work.
Pro Tip!
There are many perks to speaking the country’s language (or at least attempting to) and Italians love when you give it a try. They always get really excited or surprised so it’s not an awkward thing to do. If anything they are very helpful and want you to learn. If you don’t have a bilingual traveler in your group, it would be a good idea to start studying some common phrases at the least.
The only downside a see to this traveler is they might get more attention than the rest of the group. Locals love when a foreigner speaks their language or can crack jokes, so don’t take it personally if that tends to happen.
The Go-With-The-Flow Traveler
Go-with-the-flow travelers are Type A traveler’s best friend and the Complainer’s worst enemy. They are 100% down for anything and aren’t very picky. They will do whatever is easiest and best for the group and they’ll never complain. These travelers are always the first to pay after a booking is made because they know they didn’t help in the researching, planning, and booking process, so they pay immediately and in full. These are some of the best people to have in your group. They are typically the most positive travelers out of anyone in the group and are always along for the ride and good vibes.
Their only downside is that they might not always pay attention to the group chat when input is requested and they might not care enough to make a much needed, tie breaking decision. If you want their undivided attention, just make sure you speak with them separately to learn what they truly want to do (or at the least, what they definitely don’t want to do).
Types of Travelers to Avoid for a Group Trip
The Complainer
We all have been on a group trip or at an event with someone who complains about absolutely everything. I hope you never have this traveler on a group trip because it’s the literal worst, but unfortunately, there’s a good chance you might. One of the challenges of group travel is that not everyone has the same bank account size. This can cause a lot of stress on someone who is considerably more budget friendly than others within the group. It can also be just as annoying to someone who feels they are being held back by others. The same situation applies.
But if it’s the complainer who feels they are burning a hole through their wallet, every member of the group will 100% hear about it on the trip. At first they might be subtle comments to one or two friends in the group about the overpriced cocktails at lunch. Next it’ll turn into polar opposite voting when deciding what to do as a group. Until they subconsciously complain out loud about how much they can’t afford whatever it is the group is doing at that exact time. The point is, it typically only gets worse after it begins.
What to do if you have a complainer or potential complainer in the group: have the money conversations first. Have everyone share their priorities, worries, and ideal budget, that way there are no surprises. It helps to book things over time so that your expenses are paid long before your outbound flight.
The Runaway
The runaway…the person who gets lost or goes on side quests only to have the group worried. We all have that one drunk friend that loves to go on an adventure by the end of the night, but one place not to do it, is abroad in a foreign country. Not only does it stress and worry the group, but it is also entirely dangerous.
What to do if you have a runner or potential runner in the group: track them! In all seriousness for one, every person in the group needs to share locations indefinitely. Participate in the buddy system. You don’t go anywhere alone and you stick with your buddy all night…learn how to wingman/wingwoman if you need to but stick with each other. Limit alcohol intake…many times these people think they’re some fucking track star with a little liquor in them. It might be best to tone down the alcohol or stock up on food and water throughout the day if you plan on having a long night.
Pros & Cons of Group Travel
Pros
- You get to make lifelong memories in a new place with your favorite people
- It’s cheaper than traveling alone
- If you didn’t know your group before now, you will make new lifetime friends
- Multiple photographers at all times
- Safer traveling as a group
- Learn more about each other
Cons
- Clashing of ideas or opinions
- Can be difficult to get ready on time due to shared/limited space
- Need to compromise on differences
- Less freedom
How to plan a successful Group Trip
Once you have your travel group finalized, then the fun part begins. The best advice I can give for planning group trips is to get aligned on the group’s priorities and boundaries. It’s best to go on a group trip with like minded travelers who all have similar expectations or interests. You don’t all have to agree on everything…the group can split into smaller groups to fit in everyone’s interests and budgets. But overall, the vibe of the group should be understood. This is step one to having a successful group trip.
Step 1: Understand Travel Style
Asking the following questions can help you get a feel for the group’s travel style which is helpful in planning a trip for multiple people with multiple opinions.
Should our days start early or later? Are we staying out late or getting to bed on time? Do we prefer a full itinerary or spaced? How interested are we in seeing famous spots/restaurants/viewpoints? How interested are we in finding hidden gems and local’s secrets? What are you looking forward to most in this trip? What is your max budget for this trip? Which statement do you agree with more for this trip: cheaper is better or you only live once? Are you willing to take public transportation? How much are you willing to spend on hotels per night? What are your top 3 interests while traveling? Pick your preference: VIP or GA?
These questions will help you get aligned on what type of group you have and what people prefer.
Step 2: Research
This step is for anyone and everyone (*cough cough*) Type A traveler… learn to relinquish some control here please. Everyone must assume that if you don’t participate in this step that you’re willing to go with the flow and are okay with all the arrangements being made for the group (*cough* Go-with-the-flow Traveler, please confirm you understand).
Have a set 2-3 priorities each day and fill in your time in between accordingly. See Building Your Travel Itinerary for a step by step guide on how to do this efficiently.
Step 3: Booking
Everyone in the group should book their own flights/travel first. Next book your necessary expenses…the things that get you from A to B and put a roof over your head (trains, transfers, hotels). Next book any activities or restaurants that require a deposit and reservation up front. Almost anywhere in Europe during high season requires a reservation far in advance, these days…especially for beach clubs, famous museums, and luxury dinner experiences.
The most successful group trips I have been on or have organized has been when each traveler has 1) utilized a travel rewards credit card to help book group travel expenses and 2) downloaded Splitwise (one of the many travel apps I’ve suggested that can help keep track of the group’s spending).
When booking activities for the group trip, it is easiest to have one or two main people book the majority of expenses while the rest of the group sends their portion of money. Not everyone will make time to book things by email or calling, so finding the people willing to help move the process forward is vital in this step.
Paying the Bill
It is important to know that when dining as a group it is easiest and most times required to split the check evenly amongst the group “going Dutch”, or put the entire tab on one card. In Europe they don’t do multiple tabs so learn how to “go Dutch” on the tab or find a nice travel rewards credit card to rack in those travel points!
Rarely will any restaurant allow you to divide up by plates, especially if they’re busy…so don’t even ask. Save everyone the time and hassle by taking turns putting each dinner on one person’s card and keep the itemized receipt for record keeping. At the end of the day or the very next morning, input your receipts into the Splitwise app, and select the way you will seek reimbursement (evenly split or itemized). Side note, it’s always easier evenly split.
If you’re grabbing a coffee or going to lunch, you can pay at the counter and tell the staff what you had. It’s usually easier to pay individually during lunch, but be prepared if not.
Step 4: GO!
There’s only so much planning you can do before a trip, and the rest you have to wing it. Learn as you go and try to be flexible in your itinerary. Some people from the group might want to change plans or roam about without a timeline. You don’t have to do everything together to enjoy yourselves. So either split up safely or tag along. Some of my best memories from group travels have come from last minute, spontaneous decisions. And other times, I enjoy getting up early just after sunrise and walking into town on my own, before the rest of the group wakes up.
Final Reminders
Everyone is responsible for themselves and for each other. Always rely on your gut in any situation you are feeling unsure about. And if you are feeling overwhelmed or need some space, take some time to yourself or rest if you need.
The goal is to have fun together. Not everything will go perfect and you might run into a couple challenges or uncontrollable events. Remember that you will always figure out next steps and you will be fine if you remain calm. Traveling can bring out a lot of emotions if things start to fall apart. So try to breathe and work through whatever circumstances together, without getting heated. And if there were to be a negative experience one night, be sure to apologize and move forward in the morning.
Author’s Note
Organizing a bestfriends’ group trip, especially my own, is seriously so fun. I have different groups of friends and all of our trips have been so different from the others, which I love.
I have one group of friends who are my party-hard, out all night, play play play people (we obviously went to Ibiza). Another group who wants a good balance between activities, rest, and fun (we went to Tomorrowland Winter in the French Alpes). And another group that is all into luxury hotels, Michelin star dining, extravagant wine tastings…you name it (we went to Taormina).
The best part about group travel is that each has a different vibe and you learn what you like and don’t like the more you go.
Happy Traveling!
