Sure, luxury travel might occasionally include caviar and castle stays. But high-end group trips are about more than just upscale hotels, dining and experiences.
The difference between a standard group trip and a luxury one is baked into the DNA of the trip, from start to finish — it’s in the group’s size, how you communicate with them, how the itinerary is structured, how well you pick your employees and vendors, and how well you plan for rainy days. Higher price points come with higher expectations for everyone involved, so whether you’re trying to build a travel business on luxury group travel or simply wishing to upgrade your trips, here are five factors to consider.
Keep Groups Small
Luxury travelers often want the benefits of group travel — a moderate price point, safety in numbers and a social experience — without feeling like they’re on a group trip. To tick both these boxes, keep your groups small. Limiting the group size not only makes the experience feel less crowded and ensures you can give them individualized attention, but also paves the way for the group to experience more upscale lodging, dining and activities. A distillery is more likely to give a group of 12 a mixology class than attempting the same feat with 50 motorcoach passengers. Likewise, a smaller group can usually be served in a fine dining restaurant’s private dining room, while a larger group might have to stick to a buffet to accommodate everybody.
Implement High-Touch, Individualized Service
One way to elevate a traveler’s experience is to make them feel like they’re the only ones on the trip. There are a few small, high-touch service elements you can add to your trip to make the service feel personalized. Before the trip, ensure each element of communication has each person’s name on it rather than a generic greeting. Once you’ve recorded their information, such as dietary preferences or restrictions, keep that easily accessible and show them you remember it — remind restaurants of individuals’ restrictions and provide snacks for them without them having to ask. You can also arrange for the hotel to send up a welcome basket upon your group’s arrival or offer them a gift basket with high-value trip swag (think high-quality metal thermoses or neck fans for a warm-weather destination). After the trip is over, send them a personalized card thanking them for traveling with you. These small details matter when travelers are paying a higher price.
Adopt a Slower Pace
Standard group trips frequently feature itineraries that are completely packed with activities and dining from early in the morning to late at night because tour operators are trying to jam-pack the trip with value. But as much fun as this can be, it can also exhaust your travelers. Luxury travelers are looking for something a little different; they want to not only travel and have great experiences, but also have time to relax while they’re doing it. For luxury trips, design itineraries to allow a little bit more wiggle room to eliminate the need to rush and build in downtime for shopping, exploring and resting. After all, what good is booking a room at a spa resort if they can’t take an afternoon for a massage? Even if you want to offer them fun experiences or activities throughout the trip, make sure your travelers know that some of these are optional.
Solve Problems Before They Happen
Something about luxury travel that sets it apart from ordinary group travel is the importance of removing friction before it occurs; these travelers want their experiences to feel seamless. Part of this is anticipating the moments of the trip where help might be required or where travelers might have questions and then acting in advance. If you anticipate travelers wanting to know what to do during a free afternoon, having a list of suggested activities and nearby restaurants and attractions already in their rooms or welcome bags would be helpful. If you notice the group’s energy declining in the afternoon after a strenuous activity, give them an optional rest period; that’s another reason flexible, slower-paced itineraries come in handy. To practice anticipating needs before they arise, it can be helpful to create a list of “friction points” within the trip itinerary where questions or problems could come up and think about ways to address them in advance.
Remember Who Represents You
As tour operators and trip planners, you can’t be everywhere at once. That’s why it’s incredibly important to remember that your vendors and employees are an extension of your business and to choose them carefully. If you’re not leading the trip, it’s critical to make sure you’ve hired trip leaders and guides who understand your brand standards and act in ways that meet these standards. Your travelers might come to expect personalized service from you, but if your trip leaders act unprofessionally or neglect their needs, you can’t expect them to book again with you. It’s also important to carefully vet your vendors, from the transportation company to the hotels to any attractions you take them to. Meet everyone up front so you can personally vouch for their attention to detail and professionalism.
