02 February 2010

Top tour directors make case for group travel

Three top European Tour Director at Trafalgar Tours are visiting major cities to tout the advantages of group travel. Trafalgar's Romano Epifani, Goran Pilopovic and Graham Smith collectively addressed some TravelMole questions this way:

Q: What are the main advantages of group travel?
A: ---Some travelers feel more comfortable having an escort with them to handle all of their travel needs. A group allows for an escort to travel with a minimum amount of group passengers.
---Groups have the advantage of receiving extra amenities and/or additional discounts.
---Meeting new friends and traveling companions (is a further advantage).

Q: Is price a typical consideration (advantage or not) of group travel? Does it cost less?
---There are special discounts and/or amenities that are offered to group passengers.
---In general, traveling with a group is less than traveling alone. Uniworld does provide a group discount and/or other amenities, however; there are travel organizations that may charge more to cover costs, such as charitable contributions, service fees, cocktail party costs, etc…

Q: The typical stereotype of group is older, more affluent travelers...is that still the case? If not what is behind changing demographics?
---Groups come in all sizes and are not limited to one specific demographic. For instance, groups vary based on interest and marketing. Examples would be a family reunion (all ages), senior centers (primarily older yet active travelers, special interest groups (culinary - food/wine), destinational interest (Egypt) and Incentive Groups.

Q: What are popular group destinations and why?
---Egypt -- Groups interested in the cultural aspect of this destination.
---Burgundy and Provence (France) - Groups interested in the Food and Wine regions.

Q: What do you see in the future for group travel?
---Company Incentive groups have somewhat diminished due to the economy, however; I see this coming back in the future. River Cruising is an affordable and efficient way of hosting incentive group travel.

Q: Any stereotypes about group travel you'd care to mention?
---Consumers think that when they are traveling with a group, they have to do everything with that group, when in fact, that is not true. The idea of traveling with a group is to benefit from the group’s purpose, such as a food and wine group may offer special customized shore excursions that visit areas that just cater to this educational purpose. This does not mean that they have to join the group on every excursion or function.

Q: What are you telling others about advantages (or even some negatives) about group travel?
---The consumer must be flexible to travel with a group, for example; a travel organization may only host a few groups per year, so the consumer must be able to travel on those given dates.
---The advantages of travel with a group are: special group rates, escorted and special amenities.

By David Wilkening