SALEM, Ohio — The Group Travel Family, an organization with over 25 years of service to the travel industry, recently reimagined its vision and mission statements and dedicated its focus to travel groups and the industry that serves them.
“We have always been about group travel, and our new vision and mission statements look to the future of this great sector of travel,” said Joe Cappuzzello, president of The Group Travel Family. “It’s important to remind ourselves of the value we bring to travel directors as well as all of the DMOs, CVBs, hotels, attractions and receptive operators that we serve.”
Created in a staff retreat, the new mission and vision state: “Our mission is to grow the group travel industry” and “Our vision is to be the No. 1 choice for group travel solutions.” Those are not simply words to the organization as they implement plans to expand the awareness of the benefits of traveling as a group.
As the population of America grows, more than 10,000 people reach age 55 every day. Those new baby boomers are entering the prime target market to enjoy the benefits of group travel, and The Group Travel Family intends to position itself to serve those needs.
“Group travel offers value, safety and, most of all, travel with people of like interests,” Cappuzzello said. “Group travel adds to the enjoyment of life, and we are going to help make everyone aware of those benefits.”
The Group Travel Family has founded six separate organizations that serve the needs of group travel directors. Those organizations offer continuing education, networking and destination knowledge at their annual conferences, as well as online and through publications. The Group Travel Family reaches 25,000 travel planners who take over 9 million people on trips each year.
The organizations are segmented to better serve the specific needs of travel groups. Those organizations are the Select Traveler Conference for banks, alumni and chamber of commerce travel planners; the Going On Faith Conference for church and faith-based groups; the African American Travel Conference for the African-American community; Boomers In Groups for the new baby boomer groups; the Small Market Meetings Conference for meeting planners using medium to small venues; TravelTalks Meetings for the mature market; and AgritourismWorld, which brings groups to farms and markets.
The Group Travel Family estimates that group travel will grow 5 percent to 7 percent annually through the year 2025. This growth will be led by entering baby boomers who have the time, wealth, health and desire to travel. You are welcome to contact The Group Travel Family at 800-628-0993 or online at www.grouptravelfamily.com.
