Cheap group travel

Going on a vacation with your family or friends can be a pricey proposition, especially if you’re planning to spend at least one week away from home. It’s not only about the airfares – it’s also about accommodation, transportation, and other such expenses that might bust your budget if you’re not careful. Unfortunately, the rise of leisure travel is accompanied by the rising cost of travel, which can make your vacation more expensive.

The good news is, both airlines and hotels provide convenient discounts on group bookings, so you and yours may be able to save their money and still enjoy the trip. If you’re travelling on a budget, here’s how to cut expenses:

Ask Your Airline for Discounts

Many airlines are not displaying discounts on their site. Usually, there’s an option to book plane tickets for a group of five or more, but the price won’t be automatically lowered, meaning you will probably end up paying the full price for every ticket. Instead, call the airline customer service and ask for a discount. They will probably be happy to reduce the price per ticket, and even give you additional perks since you’re essentially giving them business (and money).

Another option is using Hotelplanner, which provides specialists who can negotiate a reduced booking fee for the entire group. Keep in mind that, since there are rarely enough cheap seats to accommodate a larger group, you will probably have to get just a few of the lower-cost tickets, and start negotiating down from the price of the more expensive ones.

Stay at a Chain Hotel, or Avoid Hotels Altogether

Most no-name hotels won’t give discounts for group bookings. For them, more people to accommodate means more business and money, and since the demand is probably relatively low, they simply won’t want to reduce their earning potential. That’s why you should consider staying at a chain hotel, like DoubleTree by Hilton, or Marriot – yes, their rooms can be expensive, but not when you book for a group of four or more. Their customer service is excellent, the rooms are lovely, and they offer a myriad of great benefits to their customers, such as free WiFi and access to the hotel’s gym.

If your group is too large, you may want to avoid hotels altogether, as booking enough rooms to accommodate everyone may be too expensive. Renting a vacation house is often significantly cheaper, especially if rented for more than one week. Another option is finding a reliable inn, motel or bread and breakfast, as they tend to be low-cost, and even give substantial discounts for group bookings.

Hire a Mini Van

Planning to visit the local attractions? If you’re travelling in a group of five people or more, then chances are you don’t have enough space to accommodate everyone. Instead of paying two or even three taxis, consider renting a mini van and splitting up the money between everyone. This way, you will end up paying only a fraction of the price, and everyone can enjoy the ride much better than if you took a taxi.

Another tip? Try getting city passes to save money on entering museums or other local attractions. You can get a really good deal on group bookings if you book in advance, and some companies even offer other perks if your group is larger than ten people.

Always Ask

If you want to book a trip for a bunch of people at a time, there’s one easy way to find convenient deals: ask. You may receive additional discounts if you supply enough information ahead of time, so make sure to ask around and negotiate booking fees.

One more thing: don’t leave without travel insurance. Check out Kango Cover’s comprehensive insurance plans today, and start making your trip memorable for everyone.

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