If you love to travel, consider yourself a sociable person and can boast of an enviable organization - today we will tell you about a life hack that will allow you to earn money on almost every trip you have. Who knows: maybe by the time the borders are fully opened, you will already be on the verge of a new favorite profession!
It is about organizing author's group tours. Do you know an interesting direction? Was the dog eaten while looking for good air tickets and accommodation? Do you know how to find the best attractions and routes? It's time to monetize it!
Step one: organization
Decide on the topic of your trip
In general, the topic can be any - start from your favorite hobby, profession or hobby. For example, tours for young mothers, mountain hikes, trips for photographers to beautiful places, yoga tours and retreats are very popular now. You can choose a tour of museums or major concerts, pub or club - whatever your heart desires! The main thing is to be determined as clearly as possible, then it will be easier for your like-minded people to find and join you.
Choose a place
It can be either an appendix to the previous point, or a separate topic of the trip. It can be something original and catchy, where few people have been (Iceland, New Zealand , Faroe Islands), a place where you yourself really want to visit (Portugal , Mallorca, South Africa), a country where many want to go, but the trip seems difficult because of the many subtleties (for example, Madagascar or Kenya).
We actively tell everyone about our intentions!
Spread your tour information wherever possible! This is a great opportunity not only to recruit the first fellow travelers, but also to monitor the attractiveness of the offer - if people refuse, you need to analyze why (high price, uninteresting, difficult to travel, fly far, etc.). Tracking down such causes of failures, you can quickly adjust the program.
Best of all, word of mouth, as always, works. Make posts and stories on social networks, ask your friends to share them, tell us about your plans at work!
Consider your budget
Few will agree to go at random - they say, we'll figure out what it costs. To get people on your journey, consider pricing for:
- Tickets to the destination
- Accommodation (with different options - hotels, hostels, Airbnb, local interesting options such as a bungalow or family farm, campgrounds)
- Transfers (if public transport is tight at your destination - a must!)
- Car rental options + gasoline + parking (if you are thinking of paid ones)
- Excursions and additional activities, entrance fees, tourist taxes
- I'm going.
Calculate for one person - yes, it is supposed to assemble a company, but each member of this company should know how much money to prepare specifically for him.
If the price tags depend on the number of people on the trip (for example, renting a minibus or a car, a couple of rooms in a hostel or a whole guest house), it is worth calculating several options: for example, for 5, 7 or 12 people.
Decide how many people you are willing to take with you
Ask yourself questions:
- How much am I willing to spend on this trip? Am I ready to spend at all - or do I want to make money by reimbursing my expenses with the price of my services as an organizer?
- If I want to earn, how many people do I need to invite to earn this amount?
- What commission, mark-up should I make?
- What is included in the basic cost ("package", which everyone will pay), and what will be additional. expenses (tickets to museums and attractions, food, souvenirs and local shopping)?
- What currency should we choose the main one? Will I be paid in rubles, dollars, euros or rupees? What rate to determine (if you have chosen a currency), and what to do if it changes?
Be sure to imagine what will happen if the group is less than you planned. Will the trip be canceled, will you be ready to pay extra for yourself?
This point is very important, therefore, approach it scrupulously, with detailed boring calculations.
Determine the composition of the group
We collect "applications" for your group from personal friends, friends of friends, colleagues, subscribers in social networks, etc. If there are few people, and you don't want to change the purpose of the trip, you can try to connect advertising - target, Yandex. Direct, Google Adwords and others. You can make a small landing page (it is inexpensive, but in general you can make up a simple version in the evening) with the basic details of the trip, or create a group in VK / FB, a chat in Telegram.
We start "purchases"
When the group has gathered (at least the minimum amount to complete the trip), start by buying tickets. But beware: early booking is money-saving, but usually does not allow refunds / exchanges - so make sure the trip actually takes place!
Start making a detailed itinerary:
- How many days will you be at your destination
- Key points of visit, must-see and highlights
- Ways to get to each point, how long does it take, which transport is better to take
- How long does it take for each attraction / object / natural view
- Where you will sleep and how you will eat. For example, one day you can get to the hotel and enjoy a full dinner, on the other you will be in a large city and try the local street food or markets, but on the third you will have to stock up on food and make something on your own at the stake.
- Once you have decided on the key travel points, start booking accommodation (again, it will help you choose the best options for the price, get discounts for earlier booking).
- Set a budget for planned excursions and transport rental: you can pay for this on the spot, but it is better to save money in advance.
Step two: travel
Actually, the trip took place, hurray! Remember that you are an organizer, and even with adults it is not always possible to avoid the periodic role of a mother hen: “Where is the toilet?”, “And we still have a long ride?”, “Damn, I forgot to change money”, “I want to eat , will you have lunch soon? " Keep calm and confident! Remember: as soon as the group gets to know each other and makes friends, it will become easier for you - people will begin to enjoy the trip, forget about minor everyday difficulties and find ways to solve any problems themselves.
Important tips and life hacks if you decide to become a tour organizer
Meet the group before the trip
At the very least, start a general chat in some messenger. You will be able to meet fellow travelers, and they will communicate with each other and will not get nervous in the company of strangers. If you want to be sure - meet at dinner, go on a quest or a pottery workshop, on trampolines or in a rope park: these will be the first steps towards rapprochement, and the journey will be excellent.
Don't forget about fun and leisure!
This is especially important in the early days, when the group is still unfamiliar with each other and everyone shies away a little. Prepare interesting facts about the country, a mini-lecture on the first sights, games to play on the road. Think back to your experience in children's camps - and try to become the best counselor for adults in the early days.
Monitor and record all expenses
Something is paid in advance, something - on the spot, something in rubles, something in euros ... Write down EVERYTHING! In case of force majeure, you will not get confused and can quickly adjust the budget by notifying the rest of the group.
Think about a companion
Not just a member of the group, but your confidant, a trusted friend, proven in travel, ice and fire, who will help you in the organization. If there is such a person, feel free to share your extra money with him: when he takes on some of the responsibility and worries, you will understand that it is more expensive than any money.
Make the trip for yourself!
The most important rule: strive to plan your trip the way you would have planned for yourself. Think over the route thoughtfully and with heart, look for interesting places and places to sleep, new activities and activities from locals (for example, Airbnb has an excellent section where locals themselves offer excursions and master classes). If your eyes burn and your mind remains cold, the journey will be perfect. Checked!
