5 Tips for Group Travel

Designate a Group Leader

Pick one or two people to be the go-to decision-makers to avoid confusion and inaction during your travels. Before the trip, get together with your travel companions (online or IRL) and choose who is the natural leader. The leader/s will be in charge of planning, such as nailing down dates and picking a destination. They’ll be the one leading the coordination of accommodation selection (like one of these awesome last minute vacation rentals perfect for groups) and help figure out flights or a rental car. This person/people will also have the last say if your crew struggles to make a decision during the adventure, like selecting an activity or a restaurant. 

If everyone wants to be a leader, delegate jobs based on people’s strengths. If one person organizes travel as part of their career – they can find affordable airfares and figure out transit at the destination. The financially savvy group member can help you find the best deals on vacation rental options. The person who is good at spreading the stoke can keep everyone excited about the trip by sharing fun activities you might want to try. The foodie can check out restaurants, keeping everyone’s preferences, diets, and allergies in mind before suggesting some amazing local spots.

Set a Defined Budget Upfront

Money can get awkward when traveling with a group. Avoid frustration (and overdraft fees) by asking everyone to share their budget range for vacation home rentals, car rentals, food, and the trip’s overall cost before you leave. Use these numbers to inform every step of your vacation and ensure each traveler is comfortable with the financial commitment. Make some fees optional, like additional activities and amenities, so people can choose the experience that suits their wants and wallets while avoiding surprise bills.

Gone are the days of repeatedly asking friends to pay you back for a long-past adventure. Whimstay’s Split Payment feature will bill every member of your group, so no one has to pay the entire cost upfront. While checking out on the Whimstay website, select the “Split payment” option to send a request to each party’s email. The recipients will confirm their reservation and pay for the accommodations directly, so you won’t have to stress about chasing everyone down to make sure you get your money back.

Additionally, try using one of these apps to track your travel expenses. These tools can help your group keep an eye on budget, itemize expenses into designated categories, assist with calculating conversion rates, and more.

Group travel gathering at a restaurant

Establish a Process for Collaborative Planning

If you’ve done a group trip before, you know planning can quickly become a mess of emails, group texts, and online documents that make it difficult to find the information you need. Avoid this chaos by using Whimstay’s TripChat feature! This tool facilitates talk between traveling companions! Use the app to share properties where you want to stay, and send and react to messages. Everyone in your TripChat can see each response, making it easy (and fun!) to collaborate on finding your dream vacation rental deal. Your group might also consider using one of these helpful travel planning apps to help create itineraries, interactive maps, and more!

Commit to Honest and Open Communication During the Planning Process and While on the Trip

While a group trip involves traveling with others, it’s still your vacation. Make sure each member of the crew is comfortable being open about their experiences and opinions during the adventure. This way, no one will end up doing activities they don’t want to or not getting to do things they’re excited about. Remember, you can always split up and do different things or eat at different places! Apps like WalkSafe and Life360 are great tools to keep tabs on group member’s location in order to ensure safety while spending time apart.

If you don’t want to separate, do one activity one day and another the next. Try cuisines one person likes one night and a different restaurant for the next meal. Or, meet in the middle and only do things both parties want. Just be sure you’re not missing out on unique opportunities because you’re too worried to speak up and share your thoughts.

Purchase Individual Travel Insurance

Life happens. Always purchase individual travel insurance to protect your belongings, finances, and personal health while away from home. These policies can also refund what goes missing in lost luggage, cover a foreign hospital stay, and even help you cancel or postpone a trip if a loved one dies. Travel insurance can extend to airline tickets, rental cars, and activities you prepay before a trip. 

Look into insurance policies when booking houses to rent. Whimstay’s travel protection option helps ensure one person isn’t jeopardizing a group trip because they cannot join in. You’ll pay a small fee to cover otherwise nonrefundable accommodation costs and gain access to a fast refund if you are unable to make the trip. Plus, if someone in your group cancels at the last minute, you won’t have to cancel the reservation. Whimstay’s travel protection provider will make sure you can still rent that dream lake vacation rental or vacation lodge, even without a person who was part of the original booking.

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