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In the previous couple of years, the pent-up demand drove massive growth levels in global travel, but 2024 saw the modest growth over 2023. It signals that the travel industry is entering its healthy state, with fewer instances of travelers storming airports and border crossings in large masses to “finally” get away from their lockdown homes they’ve been “sentenced” due to travel restrictions. Now, we may observe steady growth rates throughout the globe, facilitated by air connectivity and milder visa requirements, with the Middle East leading the recovery.
Even so, travel still manages to reach new record highs, according to the latest estimates. For instance, the World Travel and Tourism Council predicts the industry will cross $11 trillion in revenues this year.
In the huge mass of travel arrangements worldwide, group bookings constitute a substantial portion, with many travelers preferring the convenience, safety, and affordability that group tours offer. For tour operators, group tours are highly lucrative, with the potential for bulk discounts, simplified logistics, and additional revenue through upselling. However, the complexities of coordinating large groups and ensuring a smooth experience highlight the need for specialized software solutions that would blend the art of management with science, especially against the backdrop of the steady growth of travelers and their demands. That’s why group tour software is no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have.
In this piece of writing, we are going to cover major benefits such software presents for tour operators, main challenges of handling group bookings, as well as a few guiding lines what’s best to search for in group tour management software. We hope our material will prove to be conducive to better understanding of your actual needs as a tour operator.
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A group travel booking is a win-win opportunity for all the parties involved. Tour operators can strike the perfect balance between revenue when they serve multiple travelers simultaneously and a cornucopia of benefits they may offer to travelers:
Group travel remains one of the most economical ways to explore the world. For instance, in 2023, student and adult travel demand surged, with smaller tours growing in popularity as a cost-effective alternative. To facilitate it, tour operators often secure bulk discounts on accommodation, transportation, attractions, and even meals, reducing costs per person quite significantly. Suppliers also welcome group travel bookings. For hotels, such guests may account for 30 to 40% of the overall revenue.
In addition to direct savings, group travel provides opportunities for travelers to access exclusive experiences. Tour operators frequently negotiate deals with local vendors, allowing group participants to enjoy premium services or excursions that might otherwise be cost-prohibitive.
Traveling in a group offers an added layer of security and convenience, particularly in unfamiliar or remote regions. A structured itinerary planned by professionals removes much of the uncertainty and stress associated with independent travel, such as navigating unfamiliar locations or managing logistics. Professional tour guides, equipped with extensive local knowledge, not only enrich the travel experience with historical and cultural insights but also ensure that participants avoid potentially unsafe areas. This is especially vital for activities like trekking or safaris, where the presence of expert guides mitigates risks.
This benefit is one of the top quoted reasons why tourists choose tours.
Source: Skift.
For many, it is a unique social experience when you have the chance to get to know people from various locations, make friends, or subsequently abandon this situational relationships with no further obligations.
Group travel inherently fosters a sense of community, making it an attractive option for solo travelers or those looking to expand their social circle. Sharing experiences such as visiting iconic landmarks, dining at local hotspots, or participating in cultural events creates strong bonds among participants.
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Tour operators cannot disavow the benefits, yet they would agree in unison that managing them can be overly complicated. Unlike individual bookings, group travel arrangements involve coordinating multiple elements — transport, accommodations, and activities (with all the tiniest intricacies along the way) — and require adaptable group tour software to cater to diverse needs.
To better understand the specific requirements of group bookings, we’ve compiled a brief comparison of regular and group bookings across essential criteria.
Group tour operator software can become a life-savior and truly power your operations if it marches to the same beat as your business requires. Below, we’ve outlined the most common bottlenecks a tour operator faces that can be reimagined and optimized thanks to technological choices.
With a number of products and suppliers as well as complications involved with booking and coordinating various flights, different room categories, etc., this is often a lengthy manual process where tour operators have to juggle multiple options. This manual process can be time-intensive and prone to errors. Advanced software solutions integrate directly with global distribution systems (GDSs) and APIs from top suppliers, enabling real-time price comparisons and faster decision-making. For instance, Amadeus, a leading GDS provider, connects tour operators to over 400 airlines, providing instant access to the best rates and seat availability. A direct connection to such travel giants can be a costly option, so considering alternative solutions like GP Travel Enterprise, with 75+ travel suppliers already connected, may be a wiser option.
Group travel bookings are no simple things by their nature. On the one part, you ensure synchronized accommodations, transportation, and activities across the entire group. At the same time, you have to cater to diverse traveler needs. If it’s a couple, they’ll probably want to sit together and sleep in a double bed. Families with small children would ask for an extra bed for their child, while introvert solo adventures would be ready to pay extra to have their room to themselves only.
Now imagine your tour lasts several days, and something goes terribly wrong at its heyday. Your group travel management software must be able to take on that task as well and handle changes dynamically — adjust schedules or bookings efficiently without disrupting the overall flow. With the access to a rich inventory from travel suppliers in place and strong automation tools embedded into your software, the pain of handling group travel bookings will be reduced multifold.
With all the services added and discounts applied, now it’s time to pay the bills. Ideally, your group tour operator software should have the accounting module integrated with your payment system so that your employees do not have to enter payment details into several systems but preferable to it via one window. This functionality, alongside with automated invoicing, reduces errors and improves transparency. And you don’t want any human-caused errors or hassle when it comes to the money issue.
Handling payments for group travel can also be a logistical hell in the way that some groups may require individual invoices, while others prefer consolidated billing. Additionally, your group travel management software should embed multiple payment options, including credit cards, bank transfers, and digital wallets.
Get used to the idea that group travel reservation software cannot be a simple solution due to the nature of your business. However, it can be logically arranged, have an intuitive interface, and be able to withstand elevated loads during high seasons, so your general experience of using it will be pleasant at the end of the day.
Selecting the right group tour software involves assessing core functionalities that enhance the group booking experience:
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Managing an array of group travel bookings can give you the feeling of trying to keep a hundred balls in the air at once. By connecting to travel suppliers and partners, our software management platform calms down tour operators’ nerves and turns booking data into informed business decisions.
The world is changing, and tourists with it. Some aspects of travel require your special attention (and hence, software capabilities) to provide the best experience to your end customers.
Travelers are now seeking more unique and richer experiences than ever before, sparking a new wave of opportunities for tourism globally. They are evolving from the so-called “revenge travel” of the post-COVID-19 years, dedicating a growing share of their budget to a wider array of experiences away from home.
They live life by their devices, research more, become technologically advanced, and crave personalized, unconventional experiences that differ from regular tours you’ve been selling for the past 50 years. Great tour operator tools should have enough functionality to be able to tailor your offerings to different types of group travel.
Imagine a group planning a river-rafting adventure, but some members are beginners and need adjustments to the itinerary. By swiftly addressing their concerns and offering alternative routes or additional training sessions, you demonstrate a commitment to exceptional customer service. This proactive approach enhances their overall experience and underscores your business’s professionalism and reliability, increasing the likelihood of glowing recommendations to others and return business.
This point is closely connected to the previous one. People value and protect their private space and want to feel comfortable in there during travel. Details like seating arrangements during meals or assigning specific rooms to guests can significantly influence the overall experience. Thoughtful and well-planned management of these logistics helps prevent conflicts and ensures a smooth, enjoyable stay for everyone involved. That is why we’ve recently added the seat map functionality to our travel product GP Travel Enterprise to ensure you are able to take care of such considerations for your guests.
Streamlined communication is your best friend for managing group travel bookings. It can feel like navigating a maze of messages, but real-time chat and notification tools make it effortless. With solutions like chatbots or automated messaging systems integration into your tour operator software, you can quickly send itinerary updates, answer common queries, and ensure everyone stays informed.
The goal? Clear, efficient communication that keeps your group satisfied and stress-free. Imagine this: You’re organizing a mountain trek for a group of 30 excited travelers. Two days before departure, a weather update necessitates a slight change of plans. Instead of juggling 30 individual calls or sifting through endless emails, you use an automated messaging system. With just a few clicks, every participant receives a notification about the updated itinerary, preparation tips, and reassurances for an equally memorable adventure.
This is the power of modern communication tools: seamless, effective, and designed to keep everyone in the loop.
The effective travel agency software should do more than repeat what clients can already accomplish online. It must amplify the advantages of traditional agencies while optimizing operations — without new hurdles, like a complicated interface that drives agents crazy and back to good old Excel spreadsheets.
We suggest considering these crucial factors to ensure your team travel coordination stands out.
| Integration Capabilities | Ensure the software integrates smoothly with other essential systems, such as CRM, payment processors, and marketing platforms. |
| Reliable Tech Support | Reliable tech support goes beyond a 24/7 chat or call service. It should include resources like a knowledge base, FAQs, tutorials (webinar trainings, video tutorials), and hands-on training. |
| Alignment with Your Business Workflow | Your group booking software of choice should complement your agency’s existing processes. Take advantage of free trials offered by many platforms to test compatibility. |
| User-Friendly Interface | A familiar and intuitive interface is critical for productivity and reducing training time. The software should speak the same “language” as your agents to ensure ease of use. |
| Localization | Ensure the software supports the languages and currencies of your target markets. |
| Automatic Confirmations and Notifications | Both agents and clients should receive timely confirmations and updates about key touchpoints in their journeys. Bonus points for software with disruption management features, which guide travelers during unexpected changes, such as flight delays. |
| Automatic Client Database Creation | Most CRM systems automatically generate lead and client profiles from online quote requests, capturing details like names, destinations, travel dates, and group sizes. |
| Secure Access and Data Protection | Travel agents handle sensitive client information, making data security non-negotiable. Additionally, software should safeguard agent-specific sales data to maintain confidentiality within the team. |
| Advanced Reporting | Effective software doesn’t just manage data; it transforms it into actionable insights. Reporting tools should highlight which destinations, dates, seasons, and agents deliver the most value. |
| Scalability for Growth | Choose software that evolves with your business. As your agency grows, the tool should adapt seamlessly to increased demands and new opportunities. |
| Cost vs. Features | Strike a balance between affordability and the functionalities your business needs. Opt for software that delivers the most value within your budget. |
Need some quick answers to your software questions? We'll be glad to help.
If you choose wisely and go for the right functionality and not the lowest price, your group tour operator software will drive massive impact and growth for your business, brining forth and strengthening multiple benefits.
Technological advancements show no signs of slowing down, and in the future of group booking software, we may clearly see some new technologies that are going to make waves.
Group travel bookings, while a considerable source of revenue, can often turn out to be a double-edged sword with both unique challenges and opportunities. However, there is a way out. Simplifying group bookings through technology and its inherent automation may be your secret, and now is the perfect time for operators to invest in specialized software solutions like those offered by GP Solutions.
It can be costly at the start, yet by streamlining logistics, communication, and payment processes, this software will enhance your efficiency and satisfaction for both tour operators and travelers. And with time, group bookings will be becoming a more profitable and manageable endeavor.
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