Group Travel Scoop - Groople.com

Boston is a Perfect Destination for Group Travel

If you are looking for a destination for a group trip, Boston is the perfect New England city. Boston is one of the United State's oldest cities. It was first founded in 1630 and played a prominent role throughout the Colonial Era and in the early years following independence. When you travel to Boston, it is like a time machine when you visit many of the places you read about in the history books.

Boston is not merely a historic relic. Today it is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. Boston's public transportation is exceptional and very affordable. This is a great city for walking, too. Remember to bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes, and you are all set for strolls through the historic neighborhoods such as the Back Bay area or Beacon Hill.

How many cities can boast over 50 college campuses? The Boston Metropolitan Area can, including the nations oldest, Harvard University. Boston's campuses are beautifully designed and definitely worth a look.

Would I recommend Boston as a fantastic group travel destination? Absolutely. Boston is perfect for weekend trips with friends and family, reunions, off-site corporate meetings, church groups, and sports teams. If you have a chance to take a group to Boston, start packing.

Holiday Gatherings - Start Planning Your Family Reunion or Family Vacation

When you get together with your friends and family over the holidays, remember this is the perfect time to plan a vacation with your extended family or that big reunion you've been wanting to arrange. When you plan a group trip, it is really nice to include as much of your group as possible in the planning and decision making.

People like to be included, and they appreciate when you get their input as part of the planning process. Group travel involves more than just the trip coordinator's preferences and needs. You are responsible for everyone's experience.

When you gather around the table for that wonderful meal, take a few minutes and start the discussion about where you want to meet up this spring or summer. If it is a family reunion trip, a really popular choice these days is an all-inclusive resort stay in Mexico or the Caribbean. It is nice to all agree on a destination and to be able to tell everyone exactly how much the trip will cost upfront, including airfare, meals, drinks, and accommodations.

Before you get together over the next week or so, search for some all-inclusive resorts to give your family some ideas.

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Group Collaboration and Online Group Travel Booking

We really appreciate everyone who has read the Group Travel Scoop and who has visited the redesigned website. As a team, we have provided a unique online venue for booking your group travel.

We designed our site to meet two important needs for groups booking travel. First, our hotel search tool returns hotel results that match criteria specific to each group or event type. This makes the group leader's job much easier when trying to find the perfect hotel for his or her group.

Second, we built in some great features to help your groups easily communicate and collaborate regarding an upcoming trip. Once you identify a short list of hotels, save your selections, and invite your group members to go online and vote for their favorites. This helps you efficiently solicit input to quickly make a choice everyone will be happy with. By including the entire group in the planning process, all members can be included from start to finish.

Once you have your hotel choice, book online. Then you can either pay for the entire booking, or you can invite group members to pay individually for their rooms online.

Search for a hotel now, and please let us know how we are doing.

We are striving to make group travel easier, more fun, more effective - better. We sincerely want your feedback and comments to help us better meet your group travel needs.

Patrick Soch, Senior Marketing Manager

Group Travelers Plan Ahead for New Passport Requirements for International Travel

As part of the W.H.T.I. (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative), the US State Department initiated a two phase implementation timeline for changes in travel requirements. I wanted all our group tavelers to be aware of changing requirements for passports in the upcoming year. There is enough time to plan ahead, but if you need to get a passport or any other documentation, now is the time to do so. Phase I of W.H.T.I. takes effect January 23, 2007. If you have an upcoming trip, none of the new requirements are extraordinary. Just make sure you can comply with the new requirements well ahead of your trip so there are no surprises.

San Diego Group Travel Tips

San Diego is one of the top destinations in Southern California. San Diego's climate, location, top-notch hotels, and community make it a perfect place for meetings, conventions, conferences, reunions, and weekend trips for friends and family.

Group travel to San Diego is a lot of fun, offering some great attractions inlcuding fine dining, the beach, as well as popular tourist spots. The average temperature in San Diego ranges between 60 Degrees F. in winter and 70 Degrees F. in summer, making San Diego a prime year-round group travel destination.

Here is a top 10 list of San Diego attractions especially suited for a group:

1) Balboa Park - Balboa Park is a wonderful place for group travelers. 25% of the park is taken up by the world-renowned San Diego Zoo, which is great for families with children. That is not the only attraction at Balboa Park: Botanic Gardens, and more than ten museums also call Balboa Park home.

2) Sea World - Take the opportunity to see a variety of marine life, including orcas, dolphins, seals, sea lions, and much more. You can wander Sea World taking in lots of exhibits, and you can see a variety of shows with trained marine wildlife.

3) Mission Bay - This is a great spot for water sports enthusiasts. Here you can water ski, swim, or just relax along the bay. There are some great hotels around Mission Bay as well as a few choice golf courses.

4) Old Town San  Diego - Experience the flavor of old San Diego. Visit the Town Plaza, the Wells Fargo History Museum. San Diego Union Museum, many historic homes, and some great Mexican cuisine.

5) Seaport Village - The Village offers great local shopping opportunities and some great restaurants for your group. San Diego offers the chance to get some of the freshest seafood around.

6) Northeast of San Diego is Escondido and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Operated by the San Diego Zoo, the Animal Park is more open and expansive, offering a tram tour around the park and its open animal habitats. This is an exciting place for kids and anyone who loves animals.

7) Coronado Island - Many boutique shops and unique restaurants call Coronado home. The drive accross the bridge offers a spectacular view, and you can also visit the historic Hotel Coronado.

8) La Jolla - Considered the jewel of San Diego, La Jolla is where you can visit the University of California at San Diego. The town is quite beautiful and offers some unique attractions: the upscale shops on Girard Avenue, the acclaimed Hotel Valencia, Birch Aquarium, and the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art.

9) Julian - Set in the mountainous area east of San Diego, the town of Julian is quaint and a lot of fun during the fall apple harvest. Don't miss it if you travel to San Diego in the fall.

10) Dobson's Restaurant - This restaurant is a local San Diego favorite located in the historic Gaslamp Quarter. Limited seating and great food mean you should plan on having a reservation at this San Diego hotspot.

Find the perfect hotel for your group travel to San Diego

Patrick Soch, Senior Marketing Manager

Time to Book Your Religious Travel

The holidays are here. Christmas is right around the corner, Hanukkah begins at sundown this Friday, and Kwanzaa begins the day after Christmas. We know everyone is busy getting ready and soaking up the spirit of the holidays.

We book a lot of trips for religious groups taking tours, for mission trips, service trips, meetings, and just fun travel organized through a church. For 2007 group travel, now is a great time to start planning and booking your religious travel. Here's why.

From the airlines perspective, you are a group if you have 10 or more passengers on the same flight. Those spots can fill up quickly, and as they do prices tend to go up. You also want to get the best prices, locations, and availability on your lodging.

Most hotels consider between 5 and 10 or more rooms a group booking. If your church or religious group is organizing a trip for a substantial number of travelers, it is important to plan ahead so you get the right hotel for your group members. For your spring and summer 2007 trips, I strongly recommend booking by January or February at the latest.

Don't wait - Find that perfect hotel today

Mancations - A Guys Getaway by Any Other Name . . .

The travel industry has a new buzzword for a group of guys getting together for a fantastic golf weekend, Vegas poker trip, or a trip to a race track where everyone gets to experience the thrill of driving a race car.

Mancation is what they are calling it, and according to Matt Lauer on the Today Show it is a growing trend. A mancation is what happens when you call up 10 of your college roommates or your dearest friends and you plan that trip to Scottsdale, Arizona to play golf and drink beer for three days. A mancation is that trip to Las Vegas you arranged for that same group of guys. You can view the Today Show segment by Clicking Here to find out more about the trips guys are taking.

Hotels, resorts, and spas are all geared up to cater to this growing trend. Not only can you go to Scottsdale for three days and play world-class golf. Combine it with a massage at the end of the day, fine cigars, scotch, and all the fine trimmings. Today's guys getaways are not only popular, they are increasingly upscale.

A mancation is not just a getaway, it can be the trip of a lifetime. Get together those friends, and spend a week in St. Andrews, Scotland playing on the courses where golf was invented. For a real touch of history and class, book a stay at the Old Course Hotel.

For an adrenaline filled experience, enjoy the thrill of driving a NASCAR race car at one of Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure's locations from Talladega to Kansas City. Let everyone test his skills on the track, and just imagine the stories you will bring home with you.

Find a great group hotel rate for your guys getaway.

Men of the world unite for your Trips (but don't forget to encourage your wife to take that Girlfriends Getaway, too!)

Patrick Soch, Senior Marketing Manager

National Parks System is Great for Group Travel

When planning a location for your next Group Travel Event, keep America’s greatest treasures in mind. The National Park Service network encompasses over 400 historical sites in America, most operating at low or no-cost and many in major cities.Exploring National Monuments, Parks, and Historic sites is a perfect activity for any group. Grab your Passport – your National Parks Passport, that is, and explore! This passport is a fun souvenir that lets you collect “validation” stamps at each stop on your journey through America.

Here are five Group Travel Friendly locations with a National Park bonus:

1. Washington, D.C. – Millions of travelers visit our nation’s capitol each year; there are about 20 different opportunities for passport validations including the Washington Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Ford Theatre, and War Memorials.

2. New York, NY – The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are two must-visit parks on your group trip to the Big Apple.

3. San Francisco, CA – One of the most popular National Parks is actually an island – Alcatraz.  Take the sunset ferry to experience this park behind bars at night!

4. St. Louis, MO – the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, better known as the Gateway Arch, offers visitors a view of East-meets-West from 630 feet!

5. Rapid City, SD - Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a towering display of American pride and ingenuity.  While visiting the area, stop by these other national treasures: Jewel Cave, the Badlands, and Wind Cave.

Search hotels near National Park Service Sites.

Thanks,

Dave

6 Things Spring Break Student Travelers Should Know

After semesters of cramming and all-night term paper writing, you are more then ready to hit the beach! Of course most college students are looking for a great value to go along with a fun time. Here

are a few pointers to help you plan and book the best Spring Break trip for your group:

1.) PLAN AHEAD! Spring Break is a very popular time to travel so we suggest you book at least 3-6 months in advance, especially if your trip involves group travel.

2.) A great cost saving option is to talk to your Groople Travel Professional about the destination you are interested in. Travel professionals have plenty of knowledge on the most popular destinations and can help you find a resort area that best fits your group's budget.

3.) Stay at an all-inclusive resort. This will take care of all your food/beverage expenses ahead of time so that you can relax and not worry about carrying much cash around during your vacation.

4.) Keep in mind that while sharing a room can cut back on costs, most hotels will allow a maximum of 3 people per room. They will not allow quadruple occupancy during Spring Break.

5.) Another cost-cutting idea is to stay at a property a couple of blocks away from the beach. You will still have great views and be within walking distance but will get a much lower price than you would at a beachfront property.

6.) Book your excursions (snorkeling/diving/sailing/ect) ahead of time. This will not only guarantee your reservation, but ensure that you get the best price. With the large numbers of Spring Breakers in resort destinations, some dishonest companies have been know to charge more the double the cost for excursions just because they know the tourists will pay it. This is another area where your Groople Travel Professional can help you because of great relationships with vendors and by only dealing with proven trustworthy companies.

These are just a few tips to help you plan and book your next Spring Break Group. Please feel free to call or email us with any questions or for more travel tips. We can also clue you in on this year's hottest spring break locations! Just to give you a hint......

Cabo is topping the list! Call or email us today to plan and book your "07 Spring Break Group"

Thanks!

Lisa Valdez

Group Travel the World Over

Here is a great map widget I found. Have fun, and add some of the places you have traveled as a group. Check out where other Groople travelers have been as well.

Tell me if you like the map and ways we can make the Group Travel Scoop more informative, helpful, and fun for group travelers.

Thanks,

Patrick Soch

Meeting Planners - You've Got Options

Many of our corporate clients are personally responsible for booking travel arrangements for meetings, conferences and conventions. I know this can be a difficult task because we hear it all the time. The top-tier meeting & convention markets have long booking windows with many companies and professional planners making arrangements 24 months or more in advance. Hotel occupancy in those markets is at record levels, so many people feel that options are limited for space and availability.

In an earlier post, I pointed out that meeting space is available in many outlying cities and towns near larger metropolitan areas. There are over 600 conference and meeting facilities in the United States, and when you include Canada your options are considerably higher. According to a report issued by TIA.org (the Travel Industry Association), below are the top cities for general business travel and the top cities for convention, conference, and seminar travelers:

Top 10 Cities for General Business Travel

1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles - Long Beach
3. Washington, DC (metro area)
4. New York
5. Atlanta
6. Houston
7. Boston
8. Minneapolis - St. Paul
9. Dallas
10. Detroit

Top 10 Cities for Convention, Conference and Seminar Travel

1. Chicago
2. Las Vegas
3. Washington, DC
4. Orlando
5. Atlanta
6. Dallas
7. San Francisco
8. Nashville
9. San Diego
10. New Orleans

Find Group Hotel Rates for Your Meeting

San Francisco Travel Guide for Group Travelers

San Francisco is an incredible West Coast destination, popular for meetings, conventions, family vacations, weddings, and weekend getaways. The city has a rich history and is a diverse and fun community. San Francsico offers dining, shopping, museums, the ocean, great historic landmarks, and so much more. This city is a fantastic group travel destination.

Public transportation in San Francisco is terrific. Take advantage of B.A.R.T., Bay Area Rapid Transit. With 37 stations and trains running from 4 am until Midnight, San Francisco's public transportation is a convenient and affordable way to move around the city. During peak hours, trains run every three to four minutes, so you never have to wait long for a ride.

San Francisco offers some great attractions and landmarks. Here is a list of some of our favorites especially suited to group travel needs:

1) Fisherman's Wharf - the wharf area offers great shopping and world-class seafood. If you come to the California Coast indulge in some of the freshest seafood you can get your hands on at Fisherman's Wharf

2) China Town - Few American cities have such a bustling & vital China Town. Here you can shop for fantastic asian handcrafted goods, you can eat authentic cuisine, and you can also visit the local Buddhist temple. Take advantage of a great opportunity for a cultural experience

3) San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - Enjoy a casual stroll through the SFMOMA, and appreciate one of the great collections of contemporary art works. Indoor attractions are a great option for a rainy day, too.

4) Pier 39 - Here you can visit the Aquarium of the Bay, which features a 300 foot tunnel underneath the aquarium. What a fantastic way to see the aquarium from the inside.

5) Alcatraz Island - Check out the supposedly inescapable prison. No longer an operational prison, now you and your group of travelers can see this historic facility in amazing detail.

6) Golden Gate Bridge - The bridge is an engineering masterpiece. It creates a beautiful backdrop, and the drive accross is impressive. You can't miss one of San Francisco's defining landmarks.

7) Cliff House - This fun restaurant is both a great place to dine and a historic landmark. The restaurant was originally built in 1863, rebuilt in 1894, and then redesigned and built again in 1909. The restaurant overlooks the Pacific Ocean and offers an inspiring view.

8) Asian Art Museum of San Francisco - The museum collection is comprised almost entirely of the art collection of Avery Brundage, a successful businessman. The 10,000 work collection features scultpures, paintings, and bronzes from Japan, China, Korea, India, and othe Asian cultures.

9) Ghirardelli Square - The Square is the perfect place for shopping and getting a bite to eat. This set of revived red-brick factory buildings offers historic charm.

10) San Francisco Zoo - Zoos are a great destination for travelers with children, and the San Francisco Zoo is no exception. Take advantage of this great family destination.

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Top 10 Chicago Attractions for Group Travel Trips

Everyone has favorite attractions in top cities around the world. Here is my top 10 list for group travel to Chicago. Help me out here. Chicago has so many unsung attractions. It truly is one of America's great cities and offers an amazing number of attractions for travelers and locals alike. Submit your own top 10 because I had to leave a lot of great places off this list:

1) Shedd Aquarium - I think this is one of the best aquariums in the United States and would be a great pick if you are traveling with children.

2) Sears Tower Skydeck - Enjoy an amazing view of the city from one of the great skyscrapers in the world.

3) The Brookfield Zoo - Get out of the heart of the city and take an enjoyable stroll around the zoo. It is definitely a great destination for families and youth groups.

4) The Field Museum - The Field is home to some of the great anthropological and biological museum collections in the world, including a renowned Egyptian collection, the largest T. Rex skeleton in the world, along with North, Central, and South American indigenous cultural exhibits. This museum is top-notch.

5) Wrigley Field - This is truly a historic ballpark, and if you are a sports fan coming to Chicago during baseball season, you should try to catch a game at Wrigley Field. A baseball game is a really fun way to enjoy Chicago with a group of fellow travelers.

6) Museum of Science & Industry - Near Jackson Park, the museum showcases some engineering marvels, including the Apollo 8 space capsule and a German submarine captured in World War II.

7) Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture - At least 19 homes in the Oak Park area were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the twentieth centuries most innovative architects. If you visit Chicago, this is a great way to see fine examples of his work.

8) Chicago Children's Museum - At Navy Pier, this museum caters to children up to fifth grade age-level. This is a great place to learn about science and art in fun and creative ways. Remember, indoor attractions are great if the weather takes a turn for the worse.

9) Museum of Contemporary Art - One of the largest collections of contemporary art in the U.S. The collection includes many regional artists as well as works by Warhol, Duchamp & others.

10) Millennium Park - This park is a recent addition to the city, but it has become an urban gathering place with free concerts and performances in the summer, and Cloud Gate, the stainless steel sculpture affectionately named "the Bean" by Chicagoans. The Bean reflects the city and passers-by. Check it out.

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Sigh of Relief for Group Travelers: 2006 Hurricane Season Ends

It is with a collective sigh of relief that we bid adieu to the 2006 Hurricane Season that comes to a close today.  The Groople Global Event Crises Team tracked only six storms this year, and not a single hurricane made landfall in the United States this year.  We did have eight potential transactions in the path of this year's storms but not one cancellation.  What a change from 2005, which no one will soon forget.

For cruise travelers and for those headed to Mexico and the Caribbean, the end of hurricane season means the end of possible itinerary changes, cancellations, and danger. For everyone who lives in hurricane country, the end of a relatively uneventful hurricane season is a big relief.

Here at Groople, we are thankful for the gentle season that just passed. Now is a great time to plan that trip to the Caribbean, Cancun, Jamaica, and the Southeastern & Gulf States. Caribbean all-inclusive resorts offer great amenities for groups and the convenience of meals, drinks and entertainment for one price. The Gulf States have fantastic venues for meetings, reunions, and will welcome your group of travelers with open arms.

Find great group hotel rates today