It’s time to reintroduce the world to the value of group travel.
The entire travel industry took a beating during the COVID-19 pandemic. But for group travel, the squeeze was especially tight. Many people were nervous to join a trip with people outside their households, and many destinations and attractions were leery of welcoming any more than six or 10 people at a time.
For vaccinated people, though, traveling in groups isn’t risky. But that doesn’t mean that the public at large has a new understanding of how safe tours are or how valuable they can be.
For them to relearn those things, we’ll have to teach them. That means communicating the unique value proposition of group travel in ways that will resonate with travelers in 2022 and beyond.
Here are five key value propositions in group tourism, as well as some insights about how you should communicate them to your current and future customers.
Expertise
By definition, visiting a new place requires venturing into unfamiliar territory. And unfamiliarity makes people feel vulnerable and insecure. That’s why travelers so often look for experts to guide them through the places they want to go. As a group travel planner, you’re in a position to offer the expertise your customers crave. Let them know you have visited the places you’re about to take them, or tell them about how many years your tour operator partners have been working in a certain destination. Assure them that you’re meticulously planning the best possible experience for them.
Reliability
Many would-be travelers are held back by the fear of a nightmare scenario: being stranded in an unfamiliar place without any clear direction for how to get back home. As a group travel planner, you can offer customers confidence that you and your team will be immediately available to help them if something goes awry before or during their travels. Tell travelers how long you have been involved in tourism, and give them examples of how you have helped others navigate safely through unexpected challenges.
Safety
Group travel is a remarkably safe endeavor. In a normal year, millions of Americans travel in groups, with remarkably few accidents, crimes or safety incidents. Your travelers should be confident that they’re safer traveling with you than traveling alone. You’ve inspected the safety records of the companies you contract for transportation. You’ll take them to places where they can wander and explore without being harassed. The restaurants you take them to will provide delicious food prepared with health and safety in mind. They don’t have to worry about getting home in one piece.
Exclusivity
Groups today get to do a lot of things regular travelers don’t. Any individual or family can buy tickets to a Broadway show, for instance; but only groups can arrange to have a meet-and-greet or a song-and-dance workshop with cast members. As a group travel planner, you should make sure there are exclusive benefits built into every trip you package. The special nature of the experiences you offer customers should be front and center in all your messaging and marketing materials. Emphasize that all your travelers are treated like VIPs and that they’ll come home with bragging rights.
Community
Hitting the road with old friends — and making new ones — has always been one of the most appealing aspects of group trips. After prolonged isolation, it’s now especially relevant. Tours can provide excellent opportunities for friends or like-minded organization members to deepen their relationships. Your marketing materials, newsletters and social media posts should emphasize that your travelers have fun together. Use images that show people together having a blast — not just couples on a beach but also diverse groups of girlfriends or intergenerational groups enjoying the places you visit.
