Consider booking group travel for various teams on the next office trip. Without a comprehensive process and much-needed experience, it can prove to be a nightmare. Booking corporate group travel requires the skills of designing the best budget with comfortable transport and accommodations. Travel managers and agents have to search from a plethora of options to find the most suitable match. Additionally, finding the amenities that please everyone on the team takes comprehensive experience. Therefore, it is essential to know the nitty-gritty of group travel booking. Let us discuss the essentials of group travel booking in detail.
Features of global travel booking
1. Defining the purpose and goals of the trip
Planning the trip can make a difference between day and night. Clear purpose and objectives help ensure a higher ROI. Without set goals, a trip can begin and end in confusion. Hence, travel managers should collaborate with inter-department heads to define a coherent aim for the business trip. For example, if the team is traveling to find new prospects, they should not spend time conducting routine tasks. The focus should be only on the purpose of the trip with minimum distractions. Other purposes may include team-building, training, or industry events. Additionally, an aimed trip will help design exclusive itineraries.
2. Setting a budget
Once the purpose of the trip is clear, it will be easy to decide on the budget. You should take various factors into account while planning the budget for the trip. For more accuracy, you should know the group size, determine the destination, set the length of the trip, and find the unallocated expenses. Further, one can allocate per-person costs as per the hierarchy level of the travelers. This will give you a detailed structure of the expenses and a better overview of the budget requirements. As a final step to determining a budget, you should consider cost-saving options like discounts, corporate rates, etc.
3. Choosing the right transportation
Transportation is an important aspect of corporate travel. Tour operators and travel managers should remain vigilant about the cost and experience trade-off. Most of the trips consist of employees traveling to different locations where time management is crucial. Hence, airlines are the most appropriate options for distant locations and international travel. However, one should find cost-effective flights by booking before the trip and selecting a traveling class as per the hierarchy levels of the employees.
You can book business class for the associates while first class for the VIPs. Rails are a second option when flights are not available to the destination. Though rails are less-expensive, they take a considerable amount of time that can negatively impact the travel purpose. Booking car rentals before the travel date can help avoid delays to the meetings and events and get discounts.
To avoid inconvenience in case of last-minute changes or cancellations, you should check the individual travel policy of suppliers. Additionally, keep alternatives at your disposal for rebooking the trip.
Pro Tip: Using travel booking platforms such as Paxes, will assist in getting corporate rates and discounts while booking for group travel. It will reduce the overall cost of the trip.
4. Selecting the right accommodations
While it may be enticing to book nothing less than 5 stars, scouting for good 4-star and 3-star hotels can curtail the cost of accommodation greatly for a large group. Ensure to provide nothing less than the best to VIPs while booking the accommodation for a positive outcome. Negotiating with hotels and resorts can lead to a further reduction in the cost with corporate and group booking discounts offered by many accommodations.
Though it is simple to book hotels online, it is always recommended to take time out to call the hotel and bargain for the prices and amenities. You should also select hotels with meeting halls and event venues in case the travel entails meeting or group activities. If the event location is booked by a client or out-office organizers, finding a hotel that is in close proximity will help avoid delays and employee frustrations.
Suggested Read: Top 5 Business Travel Booking Sites In 2024
5. Planning group activities
Bleisure trips are the calling card for modern corporate travel. They bridge the trust of employees in the brand and give them a much-needed break after a long day at the meeting. Hence, as a travel manager or tour operator, you should allocate a portion of the budget for sightseeing, team-building outings, and more such activities. These side excursions will create a lasting impact on the employees that may turn them into a promoter of the brand.
6. Communicating with the Group
Though you may have designed the best itinerary, the travelers should be active participants. You can create objective polls before the trip about what can be included and get feedback from the employees. Sending itineraries, packing lists, and emergency procedures improve the experience of the traveling group. Notifying travelers about important steps to take during an emergency and revealing the postulates of the duty of care policy will go a long way in mitigating risks in unforeseen situations.
Conclusion
All in all, group travel booking is a handshake between the corporate and travelers to expand the business and employee experience within the organizations. Hence, travel managers and tour operators should conduct thorough research and maintain a balance between the company’s objective and employees’ well-being and exposure. The process should be smooth and effortless for the travelers as well as the corporates.
Suggested Read: Best Ways To Enhance Corporate Travel Booking Process
Group Travel Booking FAQs
What is group travel booking?
Group travel booking refers to the flight and accommodation arrangement done for more than 2 people. It is useful in getting discounts and special promotions.
Why is group travel booking important?
Most of the time corporate organize trips that need more than two employees to travel for business. In such cases they can save highly as employees can share the accommodation and bond better. Further, bulk booking also ensures heavy discounts.
What are the essential steps of group travel booking?
The essential steps of group travel booking include defining the purpose and goals of the trip, setting a budget, choosing the right transportation, selecting the right accommodations, planning group activities, and communicating with the group.
