When is the Right Time to Start Booking International Travel for Groups and Destination Weddings?

NOW is the time to start planning your group and destination wedding travel for 2022and 2023.

Planning group travel for weddings, family events or a fun group getaway generally takes 12 to18 months for groups of 20 people or more. Now more than ever, time is of the essence whenbooking group travel to international destinations. Many destinations and attractions arealready near booking capacity for some 2022 dates.

Choose your destination. Sun and beach destinations like Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican which offer wonderful all inclusive experiences, are a great option for groups. Many all inclusive resorts offer room options that accommodate singles, doubles or families as well as adult only sections, which allow for flexibility when inviting your friends and family to join you for a magical, inclusive vacation. 
Peace of mind, an ability to stick to a budget, and a variety of options for entertainment, food and activities that keep your group connected while satisfying diverse interests within your group are all great reasons to consider all inclusive options for your group.

Creating unique, customized experiences is another consideration when choosing a destination for group travels. Getting married on a Hawaiian beach, on the grounds of Ancient Ruins, or in a Scottish castle are for some, dreams come true. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, experiencing the Valley of the Kings or touring historic British landmarks provide wonderful experiences for families and friends to enjoy together.

Confirm your travel dates. If destination is the top priority for your group travel experience, we advise that you allow flexibility when choosing travel dates and there are a few factors that you will want to keep in mind. Consider things like weather and large events that might be happening at your destination of choice before you decide on when to visit. 

While summer can be a wonderful time to get married, it may not be the best time to travel to some regions. Heat and humidity can make wearing formal wear like wedding dresses and tuxedos very uncomfortable while rainy seasons can bring high winds which can make a beach wedding challenging. Always consider what large cultural or sporting events may also be happening at your destination of choice when you are thinking of traveling. Large scale events may be scheduled which could limit the ability of your group to participate in some activities.

Appoint a lead passenger. Every group needs a leader, or lead passenger, who will be the main contact for everyone in the group and will work with the travel agent to communicate planning decisions and make sure everyone in the group has all of the information about the travel itinerary. Having a group leader will save time and can make the group travel experience less stressful for everyone!
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Have an effective strategy for group communication. Communication is key when planning a group travel experience. We suggest starting a Facebook group, email chain, or other social media platform to keep everyone in your group in the loop. Keep the members of your group engaged by posting pictures of your destination and offer links to sites which will give more information and create excitement. This kind of communication tool is also useful for reminding members of your group about things like deposit and payment deadlines and provides a record of the information that has been shared with the group. In our experience, some of your guests will book and pay their deposits right away while others may need friendly reminders of important dates especially given the length of time before the departure date. An effective group communication strategy can prevent misunderstandings and hard feelings if someone needs to cancel unexpectedly.