176 marieclaire.com.auMake sure to reward them for
their troubles. “Maybe they should
get the pick of the rooms.”
GROUP HACK: Delegate tasks that
play to each member’s strengths.
Appoint your foodie friend as
chief restaurant researcher, your
map sleuth as the directions
queen and make your punctual
friend responsible for getting
everyone out the door on time.
Handing out specific roles
makes everyone feel important.TIP 2
WEED OUT^
COMMITMENT-
PHOBESBefore you go ahead and start
booking, you need to know your
buddies are on board.
Kylie Bartle runs boutique
luxury cruises for The Great
Escape Charter Company, and
says pledging cold hard cash is the
best way to weed out tyre kickers.
“Ask your friends straight up for
a 20 per cent deposit because
you’ll know who’s serious, and
who’s not straightaway,” she says.
GROUP HACK: Rossi Hudson says
having a no-refund policy is a
smart move. “If someone pulls out
and they haven’t put any money
in, then it costs more for everyoneelse, which is not very fair. Work
out what is a fair deposit and
agree on cancellation clauses
within that – it could be flexible
and if you get someone to replace
yourself, you might get your
money back,” she adds.TIP 3
SPLIT AND SAVE
An unexpected bonus of a group
trip is scoring discounts or added
extras for buying in bulk.
Tassie-born blogger Brooke
Saward from World of Wanderlust
says you’ve got nothing to lose
from asking for the best deal, and
tips that a personal approach is
most effective. “I’d suggest making
a phone call to the hotel or tour
operator, rather than emailing or
booking online,” she says.
Groups should be able to
score up to 25 per cent off
accommodation, while tour
prices are a bit more variable,
says Lyndall Hewitt, personal
travel manager with
TravelManagers Australia.
“A small group tour that
generally takes 20 people where
you can book out the whole bus
should give you a reasonable
discount,” she says. “But it would
also give you more flexibility and
they might personalise it to target
exactly what your group wants
to do. That’s happening a lot
more these days.”
GROUP HACK: Following booking
sites on social media will get you
front row to any deals, discounts
or specials, with reductions often
announced on Facebook, Twitter
and Instagram first.TIP 4
FOOD FIGHTS
For many, devouring their body
weight in local delicacies is a
huge part of the trip, but others
will be just as happy snacking
on cheese and biscuits. Then
there’s the challenge of sating aPlan time out
from the group.
“No matter who you
travel with, people get on
each other’s nerves. Grab
some alone time when
things start to get tense.
It helps you, and everyone
around you,” says travel
blogger Dianne Bortoletto.HOLIDAY
TIPBeyoncé with sister Solange
on yet another yacht getaway.HOTSPOT: NEW YORK, USA
Best for: Art and culture as well
as amazing food. Shopping is
also likely to be on the agenda.HOTSPOT: THE CARIBBEAN
Best for: Cruises offer the
ultimate girl-getaway by visiting
the finest beaches around.Trav e l