Is group travel for you?
Group travel is one of the many options if you want to have a more cost-effective way to travel. Whether it's a school trip, a business endeavour, or a personal expedition, group travel proves to be very friendly on the budget but you must bear in mind that there are some disadvantages to this type of travel. That being...
HUMANS!!!
It is impossible to get along with everyone, it is also impossible to get persons to like the same food, the same music, the same attractions etc.
As a result, we can say that group travel coordinators have a very tough job. They have to find a convenient way of letting everyone have an enjoyable trip whilst considering the demands of all members of the group and trying to plan and organise activities that may be interesting to the entire group.
They must take into account that very often bigger groups of 10 or more persons have a difficult time at restaurants for example. This is because the wait time is often tedious and you may have 3 indecisive persons in the group unless provided with the option of a buffet layout where you can choose whatsoever you wish.
Sometimes this can be avoided by looking at the menu in advance or pre-ordering but be guaranteed that there will always be that one person who will change their mind at the very last minute.
More often than not, it is a female because they seem to be the worst at deciding what they actually want to eat. Guys, go ahead and ask your girlfriend what she would like to eat for dinner tonight... 9 out of 10 the response would be "I don't know" or "whatever you're eating is fine" and when she actually decides, your plate seems to be more appetising after all.
However, this wait does not occur all the time as some restaurant kitchens serve the bigger groups first and then they work on the smaller orders of the other patrons. Travelling in big groups also allows you to enter certain places and attractions much faster than the average customer. Some attractions even allow a separate entrance for groups. As group travel is becoming more and more prominent, businesses are adapting their interactions and transactions to accommodate larger clientele.
Given that most groups are governed by rules and regulations that must be adhered to when in the target country, group travel does not necessarily provide its members with the opportunity to interact with the locals unless travelling to meet other organisations and quite frankly, conversation does not normally extend beyond pleasantries and discussing future endeavours together. It can be difficult to say that you have made a lifelong friend like you could have done as a solo traveller.
You must also take into account that even before travelling, there are meetings that you must attend to ensure that you are in agreement with the rest of the group and these can sometimes be very stressful as decision making is divided over several different personalities. A solution to this however would be to break the group into smaller groups of 3 or 4 persons where possible so that activities can be shared with people that have the same interests. It makes life easy for the coordinator and the group members alike.
On the other hand, you may meet new people even within your group that you may later consider as friends. After all you are sharing a moment of your life with them. Imagine you wanted to take a really nice photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, you could easily ask a group member to take it for you, before or after of course you take one for them. Travelling in groups allows photos to be taken from different devices that can later be shared collectively.
In groups, there is also a sense of security that you can't get from travelling alone. The "brother's keeper system" comes into effect as you operate as a single unit ensuring your safety and attempting to minimise threats and petty theft like pickpocketing for example. This is not always a guarantee when functioning as a group but it is highly probable.
Group travel can be in some ways restrictive but it also allows for friendships to be made and hey you can profit from express entrances into attractions, relatively quick service and a combination of photos you took and that others took of you. You never have to feel alone in a foreign place so why not?
0 comments
ArthurIdyllicVoyages thanks you for your comments.
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.