For travel managers and HR professionals, orchestrating a successful team event involves a multitude of moving parts. From finding the perfect date to securing airfares, making group hotel reservations, and coordinating transportation, the challenges are numerous. In a world where remote work is on the rise, the importance of bringing teams together for face-to-face interactions cannot be overstated. Team events come in various forms, including conferences, company retreats, team-building get-togethers, and offsite brainstorming sessions. With the rise of hybrid working arrangements, there are even more reasons for teams to travel and meet in person.
As team travel becomes increasingly prevalent, how can event planners ensure that costs remain manageable and in check? Budgets can be established, but when multiple team members are on the move, unexpected expenses can quickly escalate. So, how can you save money on your team events and leverage special group discounts effectively?
Here are six valuable tips to help you secure group travel discounts for your next team event:
1. Plan Ahead for Optimal Savings
Planning your team event well in advance can have a substantial impact on your bottom line. Airlines, transportation providers, and hotels often charge premium prices for last-minute bookings. When multiple team members are traveling, making late reservations can deplete your budget rapidly. By planning ahead, you can allocate your resources more efficiently, ensuring that other aspects of your team event receive the attention they deserve.
2. Choose Strategic Dates
When determining the dates for your team event, consider strategic timing, particularly if air travel is involved. Research suggests that midweek flights tend to be more cost-effective, with Tuesday often being the most favorable day to search for lower ticket prices.
Additionally, the timing of your event throughout the year can significantly impact transportation and accommodation costs. Avoiding peak leisure travel periods can help reduce expenses and broaden your options for lodging. For corporate travel, midweek dates in April, May, September, or October are typically more cost-effective, as they avoid holiday price hikes and make hotels more willing to offer group rates.
3. Embrace Flexibility
Flexibility is a valuable asset when it comes to corporate events. In large gatherings, it's not uncommon for last-minute cancellations to occur for various reasons. While cancellation policies have become more lenient in recent years, it's essential to pay attention to the fine print. Opting for flexible fare options is wise, but it's worth noting that airlines and accommodation providers often charge premiums for such flexibility.
4. Promote Public Transportation
If your team event is taking place near your headquarters, consider encouraging employees to opt for public transportation over renting cars or taking taxis. This not only reduces the carbon footprint of your event but also allows you to purchase group-saver tickets for trains and buses in major cities. While promoting public transport is eco-friendly, ensure that team members are aware of safe transportation options if they need to travel alone, especially late at night.
5. Streamline the Booking Process
Booking travel for team events can be time-consuming without the right tools. Travel management solutions like ORX Travel's VoyagePro can help streamline the booking process by integrating company travel policies and automating approval workflows. With VoyagePro, travel managers and corporate travelers can save valuable time. Users can book flights, accommodation, car rentals, and train tickets seamlessly within a single platform, eliminating the need to navigate multiple browsers.
For larger events, ORX Travel offers an event management tool that simplifies the process of booking trips for groups larger than 9!
6. Leverage Corporate Travel Discounts
Corporate travel discounts come in various forms, from frequent flyer miles to complimentary hotel stays, business car rentals, and rideshare accounts. Joining loyalty clubs can provide your corporate travelers with perks such as dedicated customer service lines or expedited airport check-ins. However, accumulating the necessary miles or nights to access corporate rates can be challenging for smaller businesses.
Here's where the services of a travel management company (TMC) like ORX Travel can make a significant difference. TMCs have extensive industry networks and negotiate corporate rates with hotels on behalf of businesses. ORX Travel offers access to over 400 airlines through its platform.
In conclusion, organizing team events involves careful planning to ensure that expenses are managed effectively. By implementing these six strategies, you can secure group travel discounts, optimize your budget, and provide a valuable in-person experience for your team members.
And if you're interested in streamlining your travel planning process further, consider exploring ORX Travel's VoyagePro platform, which can simplify the entire booking and management process for your corporate events. It's time to take control of your team's travel experience with ease and efficiency.
