If you’re like me, you’ve heard all kinds of reasons why
people won’t travel. From the distance of the destination to the expense, I
can’t keep up with the reasons why people put off traveling. But, after having to put off another trip in
2010 because friends & family had backed out, I decided to start my own
travel club. Travel clubs are the ultimate way of meeting new people and
exploring destinations you once put off because you had no one to travel with. Joining
travel clubs opens doors one would have never thought otherwise! Below, I’ve
listed the top 8 reasons I feel travel clubs not only broaden your likeliness
to see the world, but being an active member of a travel club also exposes you
to the many diverse settings us earthlings have to offer!
8 > Budget
friendly when traveling in a group. Traveling with your club members can
offer you lots of savings depending on when and where you are traveling to. At
most, when I’ve booked my club members on group travel to the Caribbean Islands
for instance, we’ve saved a nice $100 per person. That’s enough to grab a few souvenirs
to tease those who backed out of traveling with you! Or even better, take the
$100 and purchase an excursion!
7 > Invited to
come back by city host. Well organized travel clubs whose members are on
their “best behavior” are always welcomed back. Group leaders can expect
friendly emails from hotel management thanking them for their business and to
invite them back again. This is a plus because when you return, you’re almost
guaranteed to get all group request fulfilled like room upgrades.
6 > Discover
personal interest. Sometimes we think we know everything about ourselves,
right? Well, uh…WRONG! Sometimes you have to be exposed to things you wouldn’t
do in order to discover that you like them after all. Take snorkeling for
example. Being terrified of water higher than a foot, I thought I was literally
going to die in Coho Rios, Jamaica this past April when I discovered that
snorkeling wasn’t so bad and that I absolutely loved it! Until this very hour,
I still thank the crew for “pushing” me in the water after holding up about 20
other people who were ready to jump in the shallow end of the sea.
5> Experience
places you never thought you’d go. Travel clubs open the door for endless
travel opportunities. Many people seek to fulfill their bucket list while being
travel club members. After all, the only reasoned they joined was to travel,
right? Being a member is where you discover your interest for South Africa or
Costa Rica. These are places you’ve
always turned down because you just couldn’t picture yourself being there.
4 > Brush up on
your social skills. Believe it not, being a member of a travel club also
helps you brush up on social and networking skills! Meet and greets are popular
in my travel clubs. Knowing how to communicate and get along with others is
critical. Good social and networking skills makes it that much easier to choose
travel buddies and plan your next adventure.
3 > Exposure to
diversity. Knowing who else lives in the world and how they live their
lives is, for many, a very high interest, hence, creating a historical and culturist
traveler. As a member of a travel club, you are exposed to various cultures and
backgrounds worldwide depending on where you are traveling to. Learn how to say
hello in Swahili or good bye in Mandarin. How about how are you in Spanish? The
locals will love you for it!
2> Make new
friends and go places! Travel clubs are all about meeting likeminded people
and traveling the world! I’ve met many good people since organizing my own
clubs. Lots of people who live and breathe to see the world. They are
passionate about traveling and are offered endless travel options as members.
No matter if it’s a day trip to our nation’s capital or a 10 day journey to
South Africa; you can find buddies and go!
#1 reason to
join a travel club…
Endless travel opportunities. That’s right! The opportunities for travel are endless when
you’re a member of a travel club! While you may not always be available to
travel with the group, there are always options posted for another time. In my
clubs for example, I have a large trip which consist of 7 + days and an
extended weekend trip posted for each month from January to December. With over
700 club members combined with all of the clubs I organize, there are always
options available and it helps keep everyone motivated to travel.
Next time you have the travel bug but your friends don’t,
find a travel club and join in on the fun of exploring the world! I invite you
to join me and my travel clubs on meetup.com. Below is a list of the clubs I
organize and the requirements to join.
The Philadelphia
Single Travelers Connection- Designed especially for those who don’t
like traveling alone and who are trying to avoid single rate travel fees. Age
requirement is 25 and older. Meet & Greets are held every 4th
weekend. To join us, follow the link > http://www.meetup.com/The-Philadelphia-Single-Travelers-Connection/
The Philadelphia
Travel Club – Designed to bring those who live in or near Philadelphia
together through travel. The group focuses on seeing the world with endless
possibilities. Open to ages 25 and older. To join us, follow the link > http://www.meetup.com/travel-596/
The Globe Trotting
Ladies of Philadelphia – Especially designed for women aged 35 years
and older. The group focuses on women whose passion is to travel, but fear
having to travel with those who aren’t peers. Believe it or not, many people
won’t travel with someone who is 5 + years younger than them because they feel
the experiences won’t have meaning. This group is new and has a focus of
bringing together women who are passionate travelers and who are within the
same age bracket, whether it’s a group of 35 year olds or 50 years old, either
way, we’re focused on bringing age together through travel. To join THE GLOBE TROTTING LADIES OF PHILADELPHIA, Click Here!
The next time your travel desire is turned down, travel with
us!
Anita Byers, CEO
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