6 Types Of People To Watch Out When Inviting To Travel

42 Comments

Travel Organizing should be like this

Types of People to watch out when inviting to travel

But there are people who makes it like this

Types of People to watch out when inviting to travel

I have been organizing group travels since 2006 and most of the time I would scratch my head, bang my head to the wall and run until the strength of my legs ran out just to release the stress of organizing. The research, calling and reservation of resorts and transportation are the easy parts of Travel Organizing. The hard part is inviting people to join you in your travel.

Since its summer, I’d like share some of the types of people to watch out for and how to avoid them or how to prepare for them.

1. Back Outs

These are the most common of the types of problem people you would encounter when you’re inviting people to travel. Reasons would range from laziness, something came up, something will go down, I need to go somewhere, someone needs me and work. Regardless of the reason, whether valid or invalid, when someone backs out it is a problem to the organizer.

Problem with Back outs

  • There are fees that can be lessened when you travel in groups (i.e. Vans, Big Boats). When someone Backs Out the budget would increase per person. This may also lead to not proceeding with the trip.

How to Handle the Back Outs?

  • Collect a non-refundable reservation fee, regardless of the reason, so that they would think twice when they back out. If someone did back out you could still go on with the trip without ballooning the budget. Better if you could collect more than the required amount, when someone Backs Out, everyone’s budget would decrease. 🙂
  • Expect them to happen. When I arrange group travels I expect about 3-5 people to not proceed with the trip. If someone does not proceed, I would be happy. If everyone proceeds, then I would be very happy.

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I’ve been organizing travels for a fee and for free. Regardless if I am paid or not, I still ask for a reservation fee if needed. Be sure to explain why you need a reservation fee. My friends understood, I’m sure you’re friends would understand too.

2. Package Deal

These are couples or friends, that will not join you unless the other one joins. I’ve encountered a lot of them during my travels.

Problem with the Package Deal

  • When you invite them, they are the ones who are slow to commit since they still have to ask the other.
  • When one backs out, the other backs out. Big problem when there’s a group payment to be covered.

How to Handle the Package Deal?

  • Set a target number of people that will join you in your trip and tell them that commitment to the trip will be in a first-come-first-serve basis. If they don’t commit soon, there would be a high possibility that they will not be included in the trip.
  • Confirm a commitment by collecting non-refundable reservation fees. If they do not give the reservation fee, they’re not committed.

On a side note, I am happy to have encountered couples where the two of them committed but one had a problem and had to back out, but the other still went with us. 🙂

3. The Chain of Discontinuity

This is an extreme case of the Package Deal where invitee #1 needs invitee #2 to join for him/her to join, invitee #2 needs invite #3, invitee #3 needs invitee #4 and so on. I’ve encountered them thrice so far. The most recent was early this year 2011. The worst I had was a 9-level chain of discontinuity where the most important person, invitee #9, backed out and everyone else backed out too, leading to the discontinuation of the trip.

Problem with Chain of Discontinuity

  • When someone backs out it would create a chain effect of people backing out.

How to Handle the Chain of Discontinuity?

  • Avoid them at all cost.

4. I am Interested but I am Not Sure

You tell your friend that you will be arranging a trip about a month or 2 before the travel date and your friends answer would be “I’m not sure. I don’t know if another trip would come up on that date.”

Problem with I am Interested but I am Not Sure

  • You’re saying the trip date about a month or 2 in advance for them to set their schedule for you. Obviously you’re not a priority. These type of people has a high probability of backing out.

How to Handle the I am Interested but I am Not Sure?

  • An eye for an eye. If you’re not a priority, then they too are not you’re priority. Find someone else who would want to go with you. Don’t worry you have lots of friends to invite. 🙂

5. The Complainer

You’ve invited them, they said yes. You researched, called, set your itinerary and budget. Then you go back to them and confidently present the details of the trip and they tell you “That’s too expensive, I think this is a much cheaper option.”

Problem with the Complainer

  • Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you had information about the place?!?!?!

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How to Handle the Complainer?

  • When you invite, ask if they know something about the place that could help you with the planning.
  • If they did not give any information when you presented the details and they still complained, ask them if they are willing to make calls and do the research for what he/she suggested. If they are willing, then you got yourself a help. If not, just smile at them and proceed with the plan if you’re not willing to do the adjustments.

6. The Schedule Mover

You invite people and one of them said “I’m not available on the dates, can you move it for me?”

Problem with The Schedule Mover

  • He/she is not your only invite. When you move the schedule, another friend or you may not be available on that schedule. You’re the organizer you should be there.

How to Handle The Schedule Mover?

  • Accept the fact that many times you could not make everyone happy. If someone has already committed to the original date, do not adjust. Invite other people until you find someone available on your schedule. Just explain to them that someone already has committed and you have already told your friends that original date was the set date of your travel. Just invite them next time on your next travel and hopefully they are available that time.

The important thing with travel organizing is that you and your committed friends get to where you want to be. You do not want to be tagged as the travel organizer who organizes travels that never happen. The more your organized travels proceed, the more people will want to go with you and the lesser the hassle it would be when inviting since you now know who to invite. Besides, Travel Organizing will not be called Travel Organizing if you’re group don’t Travel.

That’s only some of the types of people I’ve encountered when I invite. I’ll just create another post for the other types. It’s stressful just remembering them.

Have a happy summer vacation! 🙂

P.S. If you are already stressed with all the organizing, maybe you should consider travelling solo. 😉

This is an entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival themed Travelling Solo. Click on the Blog Carnival Logo on the left to see more interesting posts regarding Travelling Solo In the Philippines.

Nina of justwandering.org hosts April’s Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival.

To see the archive of Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival click here.

42 Comments

    • So true!!! Though it’s equally fun to travel w/ a group, it can be a pain too most especially when they depend on you…in almost everything! Gaaaah! haha!

      And the nice thing about traveling solo, you can just scrap your prepared itinerary and just go where your feet lead you. 😉

    • @Upper, masflexible nga naman kung solo ka magtravel. hindi mo na kailangan iconsult yung ibang mga tao. Go lang ng go! 🙂

  2. I can relate to this post! I’ve had countless of travel planning experiences with back outs and I hate it. Good tip on asking for a non-refundable fee! I’ll keep that in mind.

    Reply

    • Me too, I hate back outs. After all the effort that you made for them, they won’t be able to experience what you prepared.

      Glad to be of help Kim. 🙂

    • Thanks! 🙂
      Sa ngayon hindi pa ako nagsasawa mag-organize ng travels. Pero nagbabakasyon din naman ako from organizing by going solo or with a partner.

  4. This is real fact about going in groups. its really a drag when you invite people and they are not cooperating with your plans. whooo! such a bummer! 😈

    Reply

    • True! I wish people would cooperate more and think about the effort given by the organizers for them than themselves.

  5. piknik

    i so understand your post! I’ve been organizing trip for our barkada for the past two years (without a fee at that) and it’s such a hassle when you have to book and re-book for people who back out or try to have the dates changed. Thankfully now they understand the hassles of organizing a trip! 😀 such a nice read! 😀

    Reply

    • Thanks piknik 🙂
      It’s nice to hear that your friends now understand the hassles of organizing trips. I long for people to try travel organizing at least once in their life so they could value and respect us who sacrifice our time and effort for others to travel. 😎

    • hahaha onting panahon nalang Bibs, mararanasan ko na ang ‘bibang-organizing’. I want to experience the bibang surprises, kung saan pati yung organizer nassurprise din. haha 😛

  10. kat navallo

    Very practical and useful tips! Have seen this at work when Josiah organized our Pulag trip last January. 🙂

    Reply

    • Thanks Kat! I hope to see you more in the future when I organize and I hope I could also be a participant when you organize. 🙂

  13. I can relate to this post! I’m the one always charged with trip organization probably coz I’m the most enthusiastic. Abuso na sila minsan! Pa move ng date.. may mas mura ba? Ang mahal naman!.. sige, sasama ko pero wait… and so on and so forth. Di ko na uli iniinvite mga yun. there are so many others I can travel with 😉

    Reply

  15. so true! Minsan mas maganda talaga magtravel ng solo. Sabe ng iba malungkot, but I really find it enriching. Sarili mu lang proproblemahin mo, and you can even have more time to get to know yourself. : )

    Reply

  16. Auraphil

    This is a very good topic for travel organizers and travel Guides. I think this are common problems worldwide.

    The ff. are my suggestions:
    1. Plan/schedule the destinations months ahead and publish in your Blogs, considering the dates of National Holidays,and Events (Fiestas, Sports etc.)
    2. Consider the Weather. Plan an alternative destination (Plan A & B) in case the weather is not good when the day comes. There is no reason then to back out or schedule an alternative date. Keep informed by advanced PAGASA weather reports. Take note that the weather in Northwest Luzon, West Visayas are different from the Eastern parts of Luzon and Eastern Visayas. This is because of the Winds from Philippine West Sea and the Pacific Ocean (Phil. Sea) side. Eastern Samar for example has the same weather with that of the South Pacific Islands. That is, Summer months in May to September. Rainy days from November to Feb.

    4. When at the destination the
    weather turns unfavorable, organize
    a social event for the Group. Ex.
    Videooke, Dance contest, Games, etc.

    3. Calculate the Budget for the Group
    including Transportation Fares, Fees, Accommodation and Meals.
    Package Price per person calculating
    an allowance for possible price
    increases.
    4. Collect Deposit upon reservation.
    with set date of payment for the
    balance, at least 2 weeks before the
    scheduled departure.
    5. Cancellation Fees. Equivalent
    amount for the Airline Fare plus
    organizational fee and possible
    expenses incurred ex. travel insurance, long distance phone bills.
    6. 80% to 100% cancellation fee
    one week before the scheduled
    start of the group travel.
    7. To ensure that everybody enjoys,
    there should be groupings of same
    interests or they can engage in their
    own activity upon reaching the
    destination. Ex. Trekking,
    Snorkelling, Cycling, Spelunking
    Beachcombing, etc. You can still
    meet during Breakfasts and Dinners/Suppers and during Picnics.
    Inform at the start that Complainers
    and “Killjoys” are not welcome in the Group. One of the purposes of the
    group travels is meeting new Friends
    and for Friends to deepen their
    friendship out of sharing same interests together.
    Last but not least,COORDINATE or plan who among you Travellers will travel to certain destinations in such a way that your interested travellers can be recommended (if it does not meet your schedule)to whoever has the schedule to requested destination.

    If you plan different schedules to certain destinations, you will win many travel participants. This is a form of SYNERGY. You will be surprised that after 2 successful
    group trips, your interested Participants will multiply.
    The advantage with our Filipino culture, we are inerconnected. If you win the trust of one, you win also her/his family and friends. Since almost everybody
    has Balikbayan relatives and Office
    Colleagues, it will be easy for you
    to organize. Remember only to be
    strict with the Reservation Conditions and participation requirements stated above. Another
    advantage of organizing Filipino
    participants, FOOD and Accommodation
    as well as possible inconvenience in
    transportation facilities in the
    remote areas will not be a problem.
    Jokes are understood. The former Boy and Girl Scouts and the adventurous types are good participants. So with
    experienced travellers. The “mayayabangs at maarte na tipo ay
    hindi dapat isama sa Grupo. This
    will spoil the fun.

    Unlike organizing package tours for
    international tourists like the
    Europeans, the Organizer will be
    charge in Court or the complaining
    Participant will charge damages
    equivalent to a minimum of 3 times
    the amount paid. The probability is
    there since the facilities and Services in the Provinces are not yet
    acceptable.

    Once you have organized a Group,
    considering the above, you will
    continue to improve and enjoy
    travelling at the expense of the
    Group, win more friends, learn from them but of course see to it that
    you earn. Your Participants will surely find your Package much cheaper
    and enjoyable than travelling alone.
    Have fun organizing and good luck!

    Reply

  19. alanna

    been there, done that!!!
    staying up late doing research for the so-called planned trip with all the necessary details, being excited and looking forward to it. at the end they all back out……grrrr!!!! 👿

    Reply

  21. judy

    the first time i organized a 5day adventure trip for 5 friends (so i thought),i did everything. i wanted really to divide the responsibilities to the 5 of us: research on transpo, accommodation, where to eat and i would do the itinerary. but they all wanted me to do everything . so i did.(did not charge them on long distance calls i needed to do) everything went well until our last night in the city. just a seemingly wrong call of getting off where they did not want to get off, made me a such an antagonist.
    moral of the story? DO NOT BRING THESE PEOPLE AGAIN in MY TRIPS!

    Reply

  22. henry

    Your blog helped me a lot in planning my trip to El Nido….am traveling solo too, since it is better that way…thanks J.S.

    Reply

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