Group Travel Scoop - Groople.com

Tips for Sports Teams Booking Group Travel

Big sports tournaments in small towns are a familiar scenario if you are the coach for a traveling team or the parent of a competitive athlete. Travel for softball tournaments, baseball tournaments, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, and many other competitive sports is extremely popular.

As a coach or a chaperon for away game and tournament travel, you have some unique concerns and requirements. Here are a few tips to help you keep everyone together, well-fed, and safe when you take your team on a trip:

1) Book hotels with inside corridors and with adjacent rooms or at least grouped close together. Not that your team members would ever cause any trouble (perish the thought). However, as a coach or parent you will ultimately be held responsible, so make your life a little easier.

2) Choose hotels that offer free breakfast as part of your stay. It is very convenient to get up in the morning, hop in the shower, and all gather in the hotel lobby for breakfast. It also helps cut down on everyone's travel expenses this way, Parents and players will definitely appreciate your efforts.

3) You might think you have plenty of time to book group travel for your team, but you should consider booking your tournament travel well in advance. Many small towns have limited hotel space (especially if you have specific budget considerations). It is better to book at least 60 days in advance if possible (120 days is even better) to ensure the highest availability close to your sports venue. Your team will play at its best if you can walk to the stadium or arena rather than a 40 mile car ride the morning of the game.

Booking group travel for your sports team is very important. Plan ahead, use all the tools available, and give your players the best opportunity to win!

Find the perfect hotel for your team

Good Luck to all the players and coaches.

Patrick Soch, Senior Marketing Manager

Thanksgiving: A Group Travel Tradition?

Thanksgiving is a time-honored American tradition originally started by a very brave and adventurous bunch of group travelers -  the Pilgrims.

We continue the tradition by gathering with family and friends to count our blessings, and we create an atmosphere of cozy warmth as the winter’s chill falls upon us. But there’s no rule that says the family has to meet at Grandma’s house every single year… or that you must give thanks while basking in the glow of a gas heater and watching NFL!

Some families now prefer to make the most of their time off by celebrating Thanksgiving in a beautiful new setting.

Think of the possibilities... A family gathering on a tropical beach or at a world-class ski resort could make for a truly unforgettable Thanksgiving. There are holiday accommodations that can offer your group the best of all worlds: a kitchen for cooking or fine restaurants to dine in, exciting activities for the energetic folks, and comfortable homelike amenities for everyone.

As Louise said, the holidays are a perfect time talk with your family members and brainstorm for the future. Start planting the seeds for your most memorable Thanksgiving or winter holiday ever!

by Brett Borders
Ashland, Oregon

Three Group Travel Blunders... and How to Avoid Them!

Planning a group trip can be a pleasant experience that you’ll cherish for a lifetime, or it can be one of the most difficult projects you'll ever undertake.

Accommodating the varying needs and expectations of different group members into one shared experience is a challenging and often thankless task. Trying to plan it all alone is difficult: trying to collaborate with people in several time zones can be even harder. All the fussing and negotiating can easily turn your “vacation” into a stressful experience.

Here are three common group travel blunders that you should try to avoid:

1. Making all the decisions by yourself. We're sure you've got great taste, but some people in your group will probably disagree with some of your picks. Also, you might think you can choose a great resort just by looking at the website or brochure, but it might not turn out to be anything like what they advertised! A system that allows everyone to vote and form a consensus is highly recommended. So is getting advice from an agency that knows the real inside scoop on the local hotels, restaurants and transport options.

2. Splitting headaches: “How shall we split this bill?” Thinking about how to pay for every transaction in a group travel situation is no fun. Why spoil the good mood at a family reunion by ending each meal with a “poker game” of entrée tallying and change-swapping? It’s best to have a system to smoothly iron out payments - ahead of time.

3. Over scheduling. While it’s nice to try to make the most out of each day, most people really appreciate having leisure time to do their own thing. So when planning the group itinerary, remember that sometimes “less is more.” Make some of the activities optional and schedule in enough free time.

Groople takes the guesswork and stress out of your group travel plans.

Our travel planning expertise and smart web technology makes group travel effortless and more enjoyable than ever before. Not only is planning your trip with us blissfully convenient and stress-free, we can often save you money.

Another great site for group travel planning tips is the Grouptravelblog.com

-Brett A. Borders

Holidays are a Great Time to Start Family Reunion Planning

This is a great time to start planning a family reunion.  Whether you are getting together with the family for Thanksgiving or December holidays, you can share ideas about timing, activities, destination and other group travel criteria. While you have the "clan" together, here are a few things to talk about.

When to go:  Like herding cats, trying to get everyone together at the same time is a challenge.  Find out when school gets out and when it starts for the younger one. Get a handle on vacation windows for the worker bees and free times for the others. Most families spend about 5 days at a reunion, so long weekends can be a perfect time to get together.

Get an idea of budget. One person's idea of economy may not be the same as the others. Try to figure out a range of what people are willing to spend. All-inclusive resorts help manage the budget. It is also helpful to know which factor is the most important: budget, location or timing.

It is important to know what kinds of activities the group likes to do.  Family reunions can involve many people of all different ages. It is important to consider everyone when planning the activities.  If the family likes to be entertained, then a cruise or theme park might be just the right thing.  If the family likes adventure then the Rocky Mountains might be the best spot.

Talk about possible destinations. Once the group gets an idea of the types of activities, then you can start narrowing down the potential destinations.

Ideas for family reunions: National Parks, Alaska Cruise, House boating on Lake Powell, Stratton Mountain Resort, Vermont, YMCA Estes Park, Colorado.

Below are the Top 10 Family Reunion destinations for our customers:

1) Las Vegas

2) Orlando

3) Anaheim

4) Miami

5) Virginia Beach

6) Boston

7) Memphis

8) Venice, Italy

9) Atlantic City

10) Chicago

Louise Hurlbut
VP, Marketing - Groople.com

Asking Users to Help Make Online Group Travel Better

At Groople.com, we are striving to make online group travel better everyday. We are asking you, our users to help us. You are our most valuable partners in this endeavor. How can you help us?

1) Send us your comments and feedback online here at the Group Travel Scoop. We take your suggestions about how to improve group travel seriously and appreciate the conversations.

2) Send me an email at patricksoch@groople.com, and ask me about becoming a guest author on our Group Travel blog space. I would love to include your great city tips and planning information and any other helpful hints you have for fellow travelers. Learn something new about planning group travel online.

3) keep reading the Group Travel Scoop - we are always adding new planning tips, lists of activities, and new developments in group travel.

Happy Holidays,

Patrick Soch, Senior Marketing Manager

Top 10 Las Vegas Activities for Conference Travelers

Do you travel to Las Vegas for meetings and conventions? I just got back from Las Vegas, where I attended PubCon 2006, a three day conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Las Vegas knows meetings, conferences & convention. The Convention Center alone hosted 23,000 meetings and conventions last year. Eventually, the sessions end and you might be looking for something to do in Vegas. Here is a Top 10 list. Don't be shy. Post your comments with your own Top 10. We'd love to hear from you:

1) "The Drive" - The GM sponsored high-performance driving experience at the Sahara. Take a Corvette for a spin on a high-performance course, or take the Hummer on the off-road course.

2) Fine Dining - You don't need to skimp on meals in Las Vegas. Eat well, and eat often (especially if your boss is buying).

3) The Canyon Ranch SpaClub - This world-class spa at The Venetian is the larges spa facility in North America, so get in some rest and relaxation

4) La Reve at the Wynn - One of Las Vegas' most popular shows. This is a dream-like fantasty - steamy but not adults only.

5) Most casinos offer regularly scheduled poker tournaments with low buy-ins - see if you can play like a pro

6) World-class shopping at the Paris Hotel shops. The ladies especially will love the high-end clothiers and jewelry shops here.

7) Vegas Nightclubs - Las Vegas offers everything from edgy and sensual to ultra high-class. You can purchase VIP passes to most clubs and avoid the lines.

8) The Fountains at the Bellagio are spectacular at night in their bright lights. This free water and light show is worth the time to see it.

9) You can admire the works of renowned artists at the acclaimed gallery at Bellagio - who knew Las Vegas had culture?

10) The Hoover Dam is worth a trip if you have some time during the day - it is truly an engineering marvel, and you are sure to find the tour interesting and the structure impressive.

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What are your favorites? Let us know

Meeting Hotels Right in Your Backyard

Is making hotel and travel arrangements for an upcoming meeting your responsibility? Consider smaller, so-called second or third tier cities right in your backyard. You can have a successful event or meeting and get a great value, too.

Demand for hotels with meeting space and conference space is up considerably in 2006. With high hotel occupancy rates, some meeting planners are feeling the pressure, but don't dismay.

Top-tier meetings & conventions cities such as New York and Chicago may have limited availability at peak times. Planners are booking group hotel space and meeting space for their mid to large meetings at least 12 to 24 months in advance on average, and some large meetings are arranged two years or more out. Even small meetings require a good deal of advanced planning in some markets.

Second-tier cities are a great alternative for small meetings or for short-notice corporate meetings. My home city, Denver is a great town for meetings and conventions, and the space fills up. In the past year, a great new meeting and event facility opened just outside the city in Broomfield, Colorado. Never heard of Broomfield? It is about fifteen minutes outside the city, and the brand new facility is just off the highway.

Just outside many major cities are smaller, less expensive markets with perfectly suitable hotels and meeting facilities you may want to consider for your next meeting. If you really need to have your meeting in one of the major markets be sure to plan accordingly. Avoid peak convention or expo times, and try to be flexible on the days of the week you hold your meeting.

Planning ahead is key to take advantage of group travel rates, the availability of group hotel rates, and to make sure you get exactly what you need.