Whether you’re planning to go away with your children and another family, or your friendship group are after a week getaway together, organising for a group holiday can be overwhelming, yet the thought of spending time with all your loved ones while being away makes it all worthwhile. To help you get the ball rolling and give you a few things to consider while you’re in the planning process of the holiday, we’ve got a handy guide to take some of the stress away.
Preparation is key
Last-minute group holidays may feel spontaneous and exciting, but when there are more than two of you who will be going, it can be a recipe for madness. People take organising, and when you’re in a group, the organisation required more than doubles. With so many different interests and requirements, an impulsive getaway can leave people feeling a little deflated.
Preparation is key to avoid disappointment and ensure everyone is on the same page. When preparing for your holiday, the first thing you need to consider and discuss is the date and location. With everyone working different jobs and with several out-of-work commitments, finding a date that you can all get off to enjoy your holiday can be a juggling act. Once the week or two weeks has been chosen, be sure to stick to it, as there will be people in the group that can’t be flexible once the time is decided and they’ve booked it off work.
Budget
The second most important conversation to have is regarding the budget. Everyone has different salaries, bills and ideas on how much they would like to spend on their holiday. By setting a limit to the cost of the holiday and how much you will spend while you are away, everyone in the group will know exactly where they stand regarding the budget. It’s important to discuss and set a limit on how much will be spent on the accommodation, meals out, self-catering and the activities you’ll be taking part in while you’re away.
How to pick the activities?
With so many different interests and each member highly likely to want to do something completely different to the other, it can be tricky coming to an agreement and selecting a handful of day trips you agree on. To avoid too much deliberation and time wasting about this, get each member of the group to put forward two activities they would like to do while you’re all away. Once the ideas have been put forward, each member gets to cast a vote, the activities with the highest vote wins and will be added to your itinerary. The same method can be used for choosing restaurants.
Regular meetings
By holding regular meetings, everyone can be kept up to date and in the loop. If the group lives a considerable distance away from each other, or they are a little too busy for a catch-up, chats via social media are a great alternative. Create a group and post updates regarding the holiday.
Free time while you’re away
Being in a group doesn’t mean you need to spend every minute of every day together. Going off as a sub group, or by yourself, is perfectly acceptable too! Be sure to plan some ‘alone time’ into your itinerary, so you don’t all get too burnt out during the first couple of days.
Allocate tasks
All too often, the organisation of group holidays can be left to one person. Usually it’s the individual that seems the most prepared and ordered in the group. Planning a holiday can be stressful, and even if that individual is excellent at organising people, don’t leave it all up to one person. Tasks should be allocated and distributed fairly. One person could book the restaurants, another could book the hire car. Many hands make light work!
With all the planning and preparation under control, you can relax and start to look forward and happily anticipate your holiday! Weekend breaks for families are a great way to get all the children together and enjoy each other’s company, and a get-away with your friends is a guaranteed recipe for fun!