Penny Pincher Travel Guide: 6 Keys to Consider for Group Travel

My grandmother, Marie Lindgren, was known for a multitude of things in her tiny hometown of Paton, Iowa. As a registered nurse, she was often the first called in a local medical emergency. Her monster cookies, with the circumference of a softball, were legendary amongst all generations. She had a wit as sharp as a vorpal blade. Townsfolk avoided any verbal tussle with her because she could gut them with a comeback in one fell swoop. Marie was also a confessed penny pincher.

Though she had plenty to live on, I can still recall the day I took her to the bank because she was shy 10 cents as she tallied her checkbook at the end of a month. The Great Depression left a permanent impression on her psyche.

This is not just true of my grandmother. Coming out of a pandemic year, questions about spending is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. What’s necessary and what’s wasteful?

As the world returns to travel, many groups are wondering if they should pinch pennies and plan their next pilgrimage or mission trip themselves or if they should hire experts.

There are six factors you should consider in this conversation.

An expert is an expert.

When I go to get my car fixed, I go to a mechanic I trust even when Uncle Bill says he loves to tinker with cars. I need a trusted expert who has spent thousands of hours under the hood.

There are a lot of complicated parts to putting a fantastic trip together. Our Voyage Coordinators have spent over 15,000 hours creating and leading trips. They know the tricks of the trade, the way to adapt a trip to the DNA of a group, and insider travel information. Sure, you may have an intern cobble something together, but tinkering with a trip shouldn’t be the best you get for the time, money, and emotions you are putting into the adventure.

Travel experts have the tools.

Let’s go back to Uncle Bill. If he says he wants to fix your dishwasher, and he walks in with a Home Depot premade tool kit, that would make you nervous. At Wonder Voyage, have the right technological, intellectual, and spiritual tools to meet every need. Can your intern provide that?

Great travel organizations have grit.

An organization that has dedicated its existence to create unique journeys makes things work, no matter what. When inevitable problems come up with booking or scheduling before or during a trip, we know how to advocate for our clients so you don’t have to. In the year of Covid-19, when all travel plans were frozen, including thousands of reservations, our clients were thrilled to have us do all the rescheduling and fight for every dollar they invested.

Smart companies teach smart traveling.

We create a liberating and addictive travel ethic that makes your team better travelers. As the world shrinks, and people become better educated, it is easier than ever to teach travelers how to be sustainable explorers who bring life, and not a burden, to the places they’re visiting. Unfortunately, when a team runs a trip, they are often glorified tourism traps. A company with a conscience will take you to a different level of travel.

Trust is a must.

You trust investors for your finances, your favorite restaurant for great food, and your other adventures to experts. The stakes are higher with a pilgrimage or mission trip because lives are entrusted to you. A trip is a precious investment. Doing it yourself might save you money, but it certainly won’t save you the time you can invest with your team on the adventure. Wonder Voyage sends a Voyage Guide on every trip to cover the details, move the itinerary forward, deal with any issues that come up, and keep the team informed, safe, and educated.

Travel is completely different now.

Wonder Voyage was started in the days shortly following 9-11. The world of travel made massive, sweeping changes over the next few years. Travel experts knew how to quickly pivot and evolve with the changing dynamics of travel. Post-Covid-19, the world will be dealing with changes to travel rules on an almost daily basis. Now is the time to find a company that you entrust with your pilgrimage and mission trip investment to lead the way into these uncharted territories.

The world is more exciting than ever, and the wonder of team travel is closer than you think. Let Wonder Voyage be your guide.