Choosing Travel Partners, Group Travel

Before Covid, there were tons of fun awesome looking pictures of group travel and I’m sure many were tempted and inspired to put a travel group together. I spoke on an earlier blog about travel compatibility. Traveling with one person who does not have the same travel personality can be a bother. Traveling with an incompatible group is much harder.
Imagine traveling with a group and the plan is to meet at 9 am. You show up at the appointed time and wait 15 minutes before the next group member shows up. By the time the entire group is ready for the planned day, it is now 10 am or later.
You start on the planned itinerary but now one or more group members has to have coffee or breakfast. The lunch plans arranged now have to be adjusted and the destination closes at a certain time.
These are only a few of the scenarios that can go wrong on a group trip so before you plan a wonderful trip with friends or family, make sure you are all somewhat compatible. Knowing if someone cannot start their day without coffee, tea or breakfast is helpful. Knowing who is or who isn’t a morning person is helpful. Knowing who has a high energy level all day and who doesn’t is important.
Group travel often takes time and coordination just to make the travel plans, not to mention the budget that everyone has to agree to. Planning a trip that everyone is looking forward to and has paid for, and subsequently going through minor frustrations every day of the trip is so disappointing.
My advice is to take all these considerations and more into account before spending your money and time on a trip you will regret. As an experienced traveler, I know personally how group travel can fall apart. Plan carefully before you consider group travel. If planned correctly it can be a most treasured experience.
Have you had a bad experience with group travel? Would you recommend it? Let me know, I’d love to hear your thoughts.