You may be familiar with this meme if you are a 9gag.com fan. And you may have experienced trying to organize and book a trip for a large group of friends and have had endless problems in doing so, such as people changing their minds, last minute back outs, not packing the right gear etc.
We have put together a few simple tips to help you organize your barkarda trip as smoothly as possible.
Did you know?
Did you know that the reason why we are able to offer land tour packages so cheap is because we sell tickets on a per seat basis. The fixed expenses of the trip such as van and boat transportation are shared per head. Many of our tours offer discount on larger groups to fulfill the minimum headcount. Of course if you try to do this DIY style, it may be difficult filling an entire van/boat and you may end up paying more.
This is fine if you have the budget, but of course most of us are looking for a “bigger bang for the buck”. In other words the cheapest rates with the most inclusions!
Booking a “Joiners”/public group tour is the most economical way to travel and a great way to meet new people! Be prepared to sit next to strangers in the van though. If you are not a social butterfly this may not be the best option for you and you may want to inquire for a private tour.
But How?
So you’ve decided to book a trip with your barkarda, and you’ve been assigned to organize, where to start? Follow these few simple tips and you can’t go wrong.
- Limit the numbers. The more people in your group, the harder it will be to manage. Set a limit and stick to it. The ideal group size for 1 van is 12-14 people.
- What’s your trip? First of all, if you can’t decide on a specific destination, decide as a group “what’s your trip”. Beach trip, food trip, nature trip, surf trip, akyat trip etc. Check out our website and search by adventure type, for destinations easily categorized according to your “trip”!
- Target Practice. Set a target date for your trip. Remember you can’t please everyone. Start off by agreeing with the month and then down to a specific date. Don’t forget to decide how long the trip should be.
Typical joiners tours offer 2D1N and 3D2N depending on the destination.Our joiners trips are scheduled Sat-Sun (2D1N) and Fri-Sun (3D2N). Remember to plan ahead of time.
We recommend you reserve at least a month in advance if possible. - Shop around. Now that you have a target headcount, date, and type of trip, it’s time to shop around and do some research. Chat to one of our travel advisers through facebook, read some of our guest reviews and pics, or check out our website for the best deals. 4 essential questions to ask:
- What are the package rates, inclusions and exclusions?
- Are the dates available?
- Do we have enough slots?
- What is the booking process and payment terms?
- Decision time. Now that you have all the details, time to provide it your group to finalize your decision. Expect back outs at this stage. Lock in the headcount, destination and dates. Take note of any questions your guests may have. We have designed great destination guides that provides details down to the bathroom plumbing!
If you can’t find the answer, shoot us a message. It’s important that you book the right destination for your group for you to enjoy it. It wouldn’t work bringing a group of fussy girly girls on a camping trip would it? Perhaps a 5 star hotel would be better! Let us know what you’re into, what you like and what you don’t like, and we will recommend the best package. - Collection Time! At this stage, once you have verbal agreement from everyone, time to collect a reservation fee. Expect more back-outs at this stage! Most agencies do not require full payment if the trip is booked in advance, but a small reservation fee that will be deducted from the balance.
This is normally around php 500/head. Paying a reservation fee secures your slots for the trip and it also reduces the risk of you group members backing out last minute. In which case you might find yourself looking for a replacement, or cover the under occupancy yourself!
Collect the reservation fee from everyone that has confirmed and make sure they are aware of the cancellation policy. Keep everything written down to avoid disputes of who’s given money to who. - Book your trip! Message our advisers to book your trip. We will pencil you in for the dates, and your reservation will be secured upon receipt of the reservation fee. There is an online form to fill out for contact details. And your guests will need to fill it up too. After this, just follow the payment instructions provided by email.
- Assign Roles: Depending on how many folks you’re handling, and what type of trip you book you may need to assign roles to people. Like who is in charge of bringing snacks? if you are joining a DIY camping trip who will organize the menu/market list? And (this is the most important one) who’s in charge of bringing the booze?
- Keep everyone informed. Once your booking is confirmed, you may be sent details such as confirmation, itinerary, pickup details, etc by email. Be sure to pass this information onto your guests. We recommend that you create a facebook group, or viber group to share the details easily.
- Enjoy your trip! There is nothing more fun than a road trip with great friends. Plan ahead with a few games to keep folks entertained on the road, drinking games, beach games etc. Our favorite is Carpool Karaoke! Dont forget to share your videos with Primero Tours and Travel!
