Group Tours

Travelling as a group changes everything about a trip. The hotel needs enough rooms on the same night, the coach needs somewhere to stop, and lunch for thirty people has to be booked rather than found. Our group tours take care of that planning, so the organiser can enjoy the trip too.

What is included

Every group is different, but most group tours we arrange include:

• transport for the whole group, in a 16- or 19-seat minibus, a 49-seat coach or several vehicles for larger groups;
• hotels that can accommodate the group together, with a mix of twin, double, triple and single rooms;
• a tour leader or local guides at the key sights;
• entrance tickets, with group reservations where sites require them;
• breakfasts and, if you wish, group lunches and dinners at restaurants that can seat everyone;
• airport and station transfers, including for group members arriving at different times.

How it works

1. The brief. Tell us roughly how many people, when, for how long and what the group would enjoy. An approximate number is fine at the start.
2. The proposal. We suggest an itinerary, hotels and the right vehicle, with a price that depends on the final number.
3. Confirmation. We agree a deposit and a payment schedule, as set out in the booking confirmation, and a date by which final numbers and names are needed.
4. Details. We collect the rooming list, dietary requirements and any mobility needs, and confirm them with every supplier.
5. On tour. The group organiser has a single contact who can sort out anything that comes up.

Who it is for

Family reunions and milestone birthdays. Clubs, societies and alumni associations. Community, faith and cultural groups. School and university groups. Corporate teams on an incentive trip or a reward weekend. Friends who would rather share a coach than organise four hire cars.

Typical requests

• A 12-day multi-country tour for 40 people: Amsterdam, the Rhine, Switzerland and northern Italy, ending in Rome.
• A long weekend for a 20-strong group of friends celebrating a 50th birthday in Lisbon.
• A Christmas market tour for a club of 30 through Germany, Austria and Prague.
• A heritage tour of Scotland for an overseas family association, with time for genealogy visits.
• A study trip for students covering Brussels, Strasbourg and Geneva.

Tips for group organisers

Start early. Six to twelve months ahead gives the widest choice of hotels, especially in spring and summer or around major events. Build in free time; groups enjoy a trip more when not every hour is scheduled. And agree in advance who decides what, so that small choices on the road do not need a vote.

Prefer a pre-planned route? Many of our private van tours and multi-day itineraries work well for groups and can be adjusted to your dates and numbers.

Whatever the size of the group, the price will depend on the final number of travellers, so we agree in advance how changes in numbers are handled and by when names must be confirmed.