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For group travel, it is often said that, “the more the merrier!” Although this is certainly true, it is not something that is generally handled well by every potential assembly of travelers. Affordable organization excursions require negotiating for the best possible rates in hotels, air flights, and other such events. Buying as a group is not really a secret; but it can appear to be a secret if you don’t know all the details of how to go about finding the very best and affordable rates. Following are some helpful tips to help you and your fellow travelers find and leverage the power of buying as one body into an affordable travel experience for all participants. Prepare for Travel Alternatives Before you begin to book for your trip, if it is at all possible have an alternative plan, at the minimum, 3 to 5 possible airport and hotel options. Then go down your list from most desirable to least desirable and see where discounts exist. Tell your group to be flexible and be prepared for the airlines or hotels that will give you the best options and greater discounts. Explain to the organization that they need to be flexible with excursion dates as this will greatly help you with the bookings of flights and hotel room accommodations. It would also be helpful to learn the peak dates when most business travel occurs. By choosing off-peak dates, you will get better deals for airfares and hotel accommodations. Get the Exact Numbers of Participants Having the exact numbers of people will make your negotiations a lot easier and penalties can be avoided. As a result, this can leverage discount rates for more affordable travel. While each hotel, airline or cruise line varies their own definition of a ‘group,’ there is no truth in the perception nor is there an industry standard that your number should reach a minimum of 10 people to be considered as a group. Any body of 5 on up qualifies and should be entitled to such a discount. If you encounter anyone unwilling to deal with this, look elsewhere. Learn the Booking Language Learning airline and hotel booking language will greatly save you time and may even prevent future potential problems with legality issues arising from a contract. “Terms and conditions” for the reservation and booking should be carefully read and understood before signing and paying the required deposit. If there are terms that are unclear, get an understandable explanation in writing from the airline or hotel representative. Another important thing to learn about is the policy for hotel room accommodations, both what is expected of your group and what is expected of the hotel. Ask the hotel directly any specific questions you need that have not been covered in their general correspondence. Knowing all of this ahead of time will not only save you from potential confusion, it will save you time and money in your bookings. Learn the Myths About Group Booking Discounts There are myths about organized travel that may prevent you from getting affordable rates. Some of these include the previously mentioned ‘group rate definition,’ as well as ‘seasonality’ in regards to the timing of the tour event, ‘black-out dates” and how to avoid this, ‘discount guarantees’ that may not apply to your assembly, and ‘fully refundable’ deposits. Learn all you can about these ‘myths’ so that you are better equipped to deal with them should they arise. So now you know the basic secrets of leveraging the power of group buying into affordable rates without compromising the comfort and luxury of the conference. Know the secrets and gain the benefits of getting discounts for your next group travel event! C. Michael Hunter is an expert in group and individual luxury travel and meeting planners. To find out more about Affordable Group Travel, go to the main website at: http://www.allureplus.com/.
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