Why Group Travel with Friends Club? by Karissa Wikert | Friends Club Director
Group travel is rewarding in many ways: • It’s cost-effective. Since everyone shares the cost of accommodations, transportation, food, and tour tickets, travelers save money. Groups, unlike solo travelers, get special rates and discounts offered by hotels, resorts, and airlines. • It encompasses expertise. Group travel through a travel club and agency includes customized itineraries, a professional tour manager, and licensed local guides for sightseeing and tours. • It’s worry-free and care-free. Travelers typically see and do twice as much in a group as they would on their own. Details are planned well in advance, which saves travelers time and stress. • It’s safer. Traveling alone or as a couple—especially in foreign countries—can be risky. Traveling with a group provides safety in numbers, reduces the risk of getting lost, and gives support in the event of sickness or injury. • It enables unique experiences and special considerations. Many times group travel is eligible for certain perks such as special tours and priority services. Airport check-ins and customs agents tend to prioritize group tours so they do not wait in long queues. • It offers socializing and friendship. Whether traveling with old or new friends, group travel makes adventures fun and memorable as travelers experience them with others who share similar interests. Friends Club handles all of the details so members can relax and enjoy the sights, sounds, and experiences of the world around them. • Our trips are very inclusive with no hidden fees or hassles. Often extra money spent beyond the trip price is only on personal items, souvenirs, and any meals and beverages not listed on the itinerary. Everything from gratuities and admission fees to airline flights are included the trip price. • Medical insurance is included in the price of most trips. It covers medical issues that cause travelers to cancel their trip after making final payment and during the trip should they need medical attention. • All trips include free parking at local pick-up locations, where a tour manager will meet the travelers and accompany them throughout the trip. • We contract with an Iowa-based and experienced travel agency to design customized and well-planned itineraries that they have experienced first-hand. While planned activities and free time are well-balanced, travelers are free to opt-out of group activities based on individual preferences. • In preparation for our trips, we provide a detailed booklet that includes travel tips, frequently asked questions, and a daily itinerary. For trips involving flights, we hold a pre-departure meeting to discuss the travel booklet, answer questions, and introduce travelers to their travel group. • Often deposits are fully refundable if travelers need to cancel before the final payment.
11
2nd Quarter 2018
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs