Group travel: how to make sure ‘your group chat makes it out of the trip’
Group travel: how to make sure ‘your group chat makes it out of the trip’ (AD*)
When done in the right way, travelling with friends can be an enjoyable, fun and, dare I say, relaxing experience. Setting to enjoy the European sun or finding a cool city to explore with some friends – what could be better?
However, there is nothing worse than having invested time, energy, and money into an exciting trip to have it ruined by arguments and varying travelling styles.
Here’s my top tips on how to make sure ‘your group chat makes it out of the trip.’
Destination and where to go
Everyone in your group will have different experiences of travelling abroad. Some might have gone on annual summer getaways, jetting off to exotic locations whilst for others this might be their first trip abroad.
The first step of a successful friendship group holiday is choosing the correct destination. Making sure everyone is happy and comfortable with suggested destinations is essential in setting off on the right foot. There is simply no point in picking a party destination, like Ibiza, Zante or Ayia Napa, when it might not be someone’s cup of tea.
Before you book, make sure to check the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s travel advice for the country or countries you’re visiting. This includes entry requirements, health info and local laws and customs. You can also sign up for email alerts, so you automatically get notified of any changes to the advice, ensuring you'll be well-prepared.
Asking your parents or friends about what destinations they recommend can be a good idea, particularly if you’re not sure what trip would suit your friendship group. My recent trip to Nice was inspired by one of my friend’s positive experience visiting the city as well as my previous trips to France and knowledge of the language.
Budgeting and cost
Being transparent with how much you are willing to spend on a trip is crucial. It might be a difficult conversation to have with your friendship group, but this honesty can help avoid awkward situations when you’re abroad.
It is easy to work out how much you can afford to spend on accommodation and flights as these are fixed costs, but daily expenses can be harder to account for. Researching entry prices for museums, public transport options and restaurant menus can help create an estimate for how much money to put aside for a trip.
Split purchases by not putting all the large expenses on one card. For example, one person could put their card down for the flights and another for the accommodation. Some accommodation providers, including Airbnb, offer the ability to split purchases into two instalments. This can be a great option, especially if you are working with a student budget, but make sure to remind others in your group to pay you before the second scheduled payment.
It is hard to budget for everything and so it is important to allocate yourself a fund generously, in case of an emergency or any unexpected circumstances.
Using an app like Splitwise to track group purchases has saved my bank account on holidays with friends. These apps settle up payments in the simplest way possible, avoiding any unnecessary duplicate transfers.
Once you’ve paid for flights and accommodation, make sure to book your travel insurance. Booking your travel insurance as you soon as you’ve planned a trip, instead of waiting until the departure day, allows your group to be protected against events such as illness or cancellation. Encourage your friends to get theirs! The FCDO has more information on what to look for in a travel insurance policy. Always declare any pre-existing medical conditions and ensure you understand what your policy covers.
Organising activities
Remember we’re not on a school trip - so a jam-packed itinerary is the wrong call. One or two things per day is a good shout. Bear in mind that certain attractions are closed on particular days of the week - for example, museums and arts galleries are typically closed on Mondays.
On my most recent trip, we had a few days when we’d explore the city and others when we’d take things easy and relax on the beach. Going away with a group of friends can be surprisingly tiring, so balancing it out with days to recuperate and recharge is important.
Everyone should be involved in the planning and itinerary. Each member of the group should feel like they will ‘get out’ of the holiday what they want. A shared Google Docs plan with potential activities and sights to see is ideal for this.
Once agreed on a rough itinerary, double check your travel insurance policy covers all planned activities. You might have ended up buying a policy that does not cover every activity, such as water sports or quad biking. Always check: never assume you’re protected. If you’re injured doing activities without proper insurance cover, it could end up being very expensive, often thousands of pounds.
Timings of the day are important too. Your group might want to be up at the crack of dawn to catch the sunrise, or every day could be a late night, scrambling to catch the last of the hotel breakfast. There’s nothing worse than waking up to realise that you won’t be out of the door until after lunchtime or the middle of the afternoon!
Proper sleeping arrangements can maintain a sense of group harmony. In home or apartment rentals, whilst sofa beds in a living or dining space can save money, it means whoever is sleeping there has to wait until everyone else wants to go to sleep.
If you’re planning on drinking or going clubbing, keep an eye out for each other’s drinks. Never leave a drink unattended.
Communication
Set up a WhatsApp or iMessage group chat before the departure date. Even if you’re jetting off with your main friendship group, creating a separate chat helps avoid any stress or tension about the holiday which could affect group dynamics.
Once abroad, make sure to have each other on Find My Friends, Life360 or another equivalent location sharing app. Even if you don’t plan on splitting off from each other, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
On a night out, agree on a meeting point. This can seem a bit rudimentary, but in an unfamiliar location, navigating your way back can prove trickier than you think. Always make sure to leave a night out together, especially if you are all staying in the same place. Regardless of whether you’re all staying together or not, it’s important to help everyone get back to where they’re staying. Accidents and incidents tend to happen when people make their way back alone.
Following these tips helps ensure you stay safe whilst abroad, as well as preventing turning those friends into enemies. Travelling abroad as a group is an exciting chance to strengthen the bonds you share, create lasting memories, and learn more about each other while exploring new cultures and places together.
*Post contributed by Jacob Robinson. Jacob wrote this piece as a student ambassador for the FCDO's travel campaign.
