Lucrative Group Travel Making A Strong Comeback, Say Agents, Tour Operators

Toronto - Talk fast.

After pausing their campaigns for two years, travel advisors are now so overwhelmed with booking requests that they have to prepare automated replies for their clients to save time and resources so that no messages of support are heard during the epidemic . .

This is certainly true for Cindy Almond, owner of Love and Food Journey and group travel expert.

Almond wrote in his automated email: no way!

Anyone in need of almond service can use the online calendar to schedule an appointment. The team member will accept pressing questions, including a great vacation, a destination wedding, Europe, Dessie, and more.

The Almendra Agency works as a team and we asked what the trends are in group placement.

Groups have always been a lucrative part of the entertainment travel market for travel agents and tour operators, and individual "bubble" groups made a comeback when they started traveling last year.

It still happens, now the bubble with many relatives is huge.

Almond told Travelweek: "I often travel with a small group of four or five families for a big race. "And they are planning ahead for the winter and looking for vacations in March 2023."

Long delivery times are common for groups, but so are reservations, as reservations vary from end to end during this pandemic.

Pat Brady, another team travel specialist and director of Transit National Group, said: "More friends and family groups want to travel at the last minute (within 60 days of booking), and these trips often take up more space. ".

Brady added that one of the biggest problems in the group market, destiny marriage, is being restored. His message to travel agents with wedding clients? grow up soon

"The wedding venue is also making a comeback, and the big hotels that offer some wedding packages are filling up fast," Brady said.

"before you ask"

One of the problems with the resumption of team travel is the gradual change in group quotas.

Many tour guides were unable to hire enough staff quickly. As the situation improves, some travel advisors find themselves in a tough spot, losing patience until the supplier returns the offer and asking for patience from customers who want to book a place.

This was not a problem for Goa.

While tour operators, like many in the industry, are at the mercy of short-staffed local providers, Goa told Shirley Rorke that it was able to attract a large chunk of the team last year. "Since then, we have been begging you constantly and will continue to hire you to meet your needs. Only Goway Groups has a full workforce and can respond to quotes quickly enough."

Rüreke, who has been with Goway for over 17 years, was recently christened on a group tour, in the role of industrialist Barbara Norton VP, in the role of Goway's Groups Alone.

On behalf of the tour operator, we want to know which team is following the trend. Like Almond and Brady, Rureke reported less time. "Normally teams spend 12-18 months abroad. Now we have reduced the performance period to 3-6 months."

With the opening of destinations, more registrations are being made for group trips to far-flung destinations, such as Dubai, Iceland, Europe and Africa. Not surprisingly, group registration with experts from Goa in Australia and New Zealand also comes in these areas. Australia is now fully open to vaccinated Canadians, with New Zealand continuing on its May 1 path.

Check out Travelweek on April 14, 2022 for the full story.

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