Steps to follow
Step 1. The members of the group. Usually, when somebody comes up with the idea of a group vacation, everyone is enthusiastic about it, but few actually get to it. If you are in charge with organizing it, you will have to start contacting the participants with many months ahead.
The people participating in a group vacation do not necessarily have to be like you in regard to your way of thinking or to your interests concerning a vacation. However, they have to be open minded, flexible, tolerant people who respect the others and with whom you can communicate efficiently. One of the most considerable frustrations is to find yourself in a vacation that goes on according to one person’s idea of taking over the leader position against everybody else’s wish.
Step 2. Meetings and discussions. Before leaving on a vacation it is indicated to organize meetings and discussions at established terms, when each one can bring his or her own contribution and make proposals. If it is too difficult to organize a meeting face to face, you can create a discussion group on the Internet and grant access to the members of the group in order to post there all the useful information.
Depending on the abilities, qualities, and even everybody’s contacts, you can obtain different kinds of advantages. If, for instance, somebody in the group speaks a less familiar language, this is an advantage that the whole group can benefit from.
Step 3. Offers for groups. Once you have chosen to travel within a group, it is only normal that you search convenient vacation offers, with discounts for groups. From discounts for transportation to the entrance fees for tourist attractions, lodging, or the amounts spent on food, there are sufficient possibilities to explore the idea of group on everyone’s behalf.
The route or the chosen destination needs to include as much of everyone’s requests and objectives so that each member can find something interesting to do: shopping, sightseeing, sports, nightlife etc.
Step 4. Constraints and freedoms. It is important that the group has a minimum set of rules regarding this vacation. Among the most important things there are the meeting spots in the visited places and areas, as well as punctuality. If needed, each member has to have a possibility to contact at least two of the people in the group.
Moreover, it is normal to have times in the schedule when everyone can do what he or she wants to. These “windows” cannot miss in order for everyone to have the time to take care of his or her own interests that have nothing to do with the rest of the group.
Pieces of Advice & Warnings
Avoid going on a group vacation if you have to depend on a very important thing that doesn’t belong to you personally such as your friends’ car. A friendship can be lovely over a glass of wine or a movie, but on the long road certain differences regarding the way of driving, the stops, the position of the chairs in the car etc. may appear.