We specialize in organizing Group Travel at Booked By Barthel and often get asked the same questions, so we decided to put the answers in our Blog. We hope you find this informative and perhaps it will stimulate you to try a Group Travel experience yourself.

1. What IS Group Travel?  – The industry definition of group travel is generally 10 or more people traveling together on the same itinerary. For hotel purposes, it’s typically 10 room sales, double occupancy, so 20 people. For large cruise lines it’s typically 8 cabin sales, double occupancy, so 16 people. It varies a bit, depending on the supplier of services.
2. How do Groups form?– More ways than I will be able to cover comprehensively here. Let me give you some ideas of the groups we’ve dealt with and you can use your imagination from there.
   • Choral Groups – an established group of people that sing together
   • Family Groups – multi-generational families, extended families or blended families
   • Church Groups – members of a particular church or larger religion
   • Public Groups – members of the general public that come together for the specific purpose of traveling together
   • Corporate Groups – employees of a particular business that travel together on business OR for pleasure
   • Incentive Groups – groups that are awarded travel opportunities for business achievements by their employers
3. What is the reason for Group Travel?– The answer to that question actually depends on what type of group is traveling.
   • If it’s an already organized group, they likely have something in common like music or religion. They may want to experience the same type of travel or destination, making it easy to come up with one itinerary that suits everyone.
   • For family groups, it’s usually more about spending time together while enjoying a different destination or culture or vacation experience.
   • For Corporate and Public groups, it’s often about the benefits you can receive traveling with a group….which is the next topic.
4. What are some benefits of Group Travel ?
   • Comfort level – Traveling, especially internationally, can make people nervous, so traveling with a group of people provides a certain level of familiarity and comfort. There is usually a tour guide provided as well, giving another level of comfort.
   • Pricing benefits – There is often a pricing break for groups that travel together, as opposed to a couple that may take the same vacation.
   • Added amenities – Groups often get customized options or amenities that individual travelers would not receive. These could be specialized tours, opportunities or gift baskets, something given just to their group.
   • All details are handled – Group travel is usually a fairly inclusive package. The travelers don’t need to worry about how they’re getting to the airport, to their hotel or where to meet their tour guides. The itinerary is all put together for them, making their vacation easier.

At Booked By Barthel Travel, we handle every groups’ needs personally. We work with the group leader, or we provide a group leader when one is required. We handle each request with the same attention to detail and customer service that we provide our individual clients. For more information about Group Travel, or if you have a group looking to travel, please contact us at (845) 810-2747. If you’re looking for Group Travel opportunities, please check out our website.