Youth Team Team Travel vs DIY

When planning a trip for your team to travel, it's important to keep in mind a few tips that can ensure that the trip is stress-free and successful.

Firstly, It's important to figure out how the booking process will work. Is the club taking charge of the trip and organising all the details and costs? If so, the club will communicate directly with the families, and likely collect all the funds and make payments to a travel agent or directly to the travel suppliers. This process usually allows for each member to pay a deposit plus a payment plan.

If everyone is booking their travel, it's important to keep in mind that airfare payments are upfront. The travel products may be more restrictive and changes may be more difficult to make. Everyone must be aware of the competition location and dates, as well as any additional expenses such as team competition fees, athlete transportation to training, and other costs.

Consider a mixture of both by booking a group package for the main travel arrangements, such as flying together, a certain amount of accommodation, and training transportation. Then, team members can handle their own return flight and any extensions individually.

It’s a great idea to get input from the families about travel preferences such as preferred airlines. This way, everyone can have a say. Making the booking process as clear as possible for everyone will help everyone plan accordingly and avoid any confusion or miscommunications. It might be helpful to create a simple and efficient way for everyone to communicate, like a Facebook group or group chat

It’s important to work out the trip costs. Do this by looking up average airline prices and calculating the number of rooms needed for accommodation. Be sure to take into account the number of athletes, chaperones, and family members per room, and decide whether bed-sharing is okay or not. To save on food costs, it's a good idea to include breakfast and stay close to a supermarket for easy food shopping. Estimate the cost per person for lunches, dinners, and group activities. Finally, research transportation options and consider renting a bus or van to transport the group.

Planning can save time and money, and keep everyone informed about costs. It’s a good idea to book flights, accommodations, and transportation well in advance to ensure availability and avoid last-minute complications.

You could also write a packing list that includes items such as sports uniforms, socks, laundry detergent, water bottles, sunscreen, insect repellent if playing outside, basic first aid items, team sports equipment, snacks, sports drinks, and water.

You may consider setting guidelines for behavior during the trip, such as when athletes can visit each other's hotel rooms, what time they can use the hotel pool or fitness center, and when they need to turn the lights out.

By setting clear expectations for behavior ahead of time, you can make sure that group travel is a fun and stress-free experience for everyone involved.

Thank you for reading and best wishes in planning your team travel!
Ange Sonners, founder of GroupTravelAustralia

Let us know if we can help you plan your next group trip: group-form — Group Travel Australia
Contact: info@grouptravelaustralia.com.au or call 1300 784 734