Timeline 

Planning your trip 

For a group leader and the rest of the organisational team, the actual tour preparation is a crucial part of the travel package. Even though it is very exciting to plan a customized travel experience, it is essential to be aware of all the necessary steps involved in managing a group trip and the timings that need to be taken into consideration.In order to support you and your team in your venture, we have put together a timeline that summarises some of the most important stages in group planning. We take you through this timeline as a part of our tour preparation. 

 12-18 Months before departure - Brainstorming:

• Discussion of travel dates, destinations, budget, size of potential group and focus of the trip.
• Finding out about the group's specific area of interest, level of experience and type of tour travel preference.

Every group is VERY different. Hayes Travel takes great care to find out the expectations and needs a particular group has. Understanding group needs and offering suggestions of how they can be met is a vital part of the planning stage.

8-12 Months before departure - Gathering information: 

• Locking in travel dates
• Determining approximate group size
• Working through specific options for destinations and activities that match the group's needs and areas of interests.
• Organising fund raisers and get support from sponsors. 

The itinerary will now begin to have more specific information about the group's travel route as well as suggested activities, accommodation recommendations and travel expenses. At this stage, flights can be booked, and depending on the group's area of interest, specific requirements will be necessary from the group such as music recordings from music ensembles or game/practise videos from sports groups. Hayes Travel takes great care in ensuring that each group is offered the appropriate venue for its skill level.

 4-8 Months before departure - Fine tuning of itinerary and information collection:

• Gathering information from participating group members. Depending on the type and size of group, it is necessary to allow enough time to for the necessary data to be gathered and verified. Airlines and hotels will require individual information such as names, date of birth, passport numbers and expiry dates etc. Special interest groups such as music ensembles will need to provide instrument weights and sizes.
• Preparing specific group programs such as music repertoire for a music group.

Hayes Travel guides you through the information collection process to ensure the correct type of data needed, how it should be presented and the time when it needs to be submitted. From our experience, it is important for the group leader to delegate and share this task with other team members. In addition, we shall be preparing together information for specific groups such as repertoire and programs for music ensembles, mass sessions for pilgrims, competitions and matches for sport groups etc.

2-4 Months before departure - Meetings:

Allow regular time slots to meet up with your team and check on the travel management progress, and organise as well question and answer sessions for the travel group and any other important members such as parents, school authorities, sponsors and /or board members.  Hayes Travel makes it a priority to attend any important meetings and functions to discuss all the necessary travel arrangements with interested parties. One of our professional staff members will be available to:

• Support you during the meetings and offer information about the planned itinerary,
• Help with special individual needs and clarify any possible concerns.
• Assist you with insurance options and policies.

Last Month before departure - Finalisation:

Most information is collected and processed. The final itinerary, travel documents and insurance policies are handed out. Hayes Travel offers hands-on assistance to support you with any area of your trip planning. We are happy to answer last minute questions and discuss all the fine details of your itinerary such as timings, menus and logistics.

Day of Departure