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An inside look at the work behind the magic
Planning a trip isn't just about ticking off destinations; it's about creating an experience that allows people to take in the best of a new location, move between activities and stops fluidly and safely, and above all else—allows you to be present in the moment(s) of travel. TrovaTrip gets that, and after booking more than 1,500 group trips with our incredible itineraries, we’re sharing how we make it happen. In this guide, we're breaking down the nitty-gritty of making an itinerary, showing you the steps Trova takes, and what makes our approach unique.
Key takeaways
- Trova's itineraries are based off demand from our Hosts and Travelers—factoring in everything from top destinations and activities, to trip length.
- Our Trip Design team works in collaboration with local Operators to build the itineraries out, ensuring each experience is professionally designed by the best in the business.
- Trova is able to offer hassle-free trip planning by providing 150+ itineraries for Hosts and their communities to choose from. If you've ever wanted to host a trip with your community, TrovaTrip could be a great fit for you!
1. Choose & research the destination
First things first–where do our Hosts and Travelers want to go? TrovaTrip kicks off by digging into the nitty-gritty of potential destinations. We narrow this down with the help of the anonymized and aggregated Traveler data that comes in via Host community surveys. We look at things like accessibility, safety, and what makes a place unique. It's about making sure your trip isn't just a visit but an experience that hits all the right notes.
Planning an itinerary but don’t know where to head? You can always borrow some of our Travel Trends to dig into the most popular group travel destinations.
2. Determine trip length
Time is money, and we get that. TrovaTrip tailors our itineraries to fit the amount of time our groups are in-destination, whether it's a quick weekend getaway or a more extended exploration. Making an itinerary is often about finding that sweet spot between adventure and downtime.
Here are some questions that help our team get a sense for how much time groups will need:
- Will people be moving locations throughout the trip, or using one specific home base?
- Are there certain activities that people want to do? And are those close to where they're staying, or further away?
- How far are people traveling to get to the destination? Will folks want an easy day to acclimate when they first arrive?
3. Make a wish list
Dream a little (or a lot)! TrovaTrip encourages Hosts and Travelers to think about what they want from their experience before finalizing the itinerary. Have you been swooning over photos of people swimming in waterfalls? Craving a heart-pounding adventure? Does your dream look like soaking in a new culture? When we’re planning a new itinerary, we know that wish lists can become the blueprint for the perfect trip.
4. Be clear about budget
There’s an old adage that “travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer”—we believe this to be true. And we believe in making an itinerary that works with people's budgets so that they can make the most of their trips, within their means. That’s why our itineraries are tailored to ensure that the experiences that matter most are accounted for!
As you think about your future trip, know what your must-haves are, and be prepared to spend on what matters most to you. At TrovaTrip, we see this as creating a trip that's worth every penny.
5. Get organized
A well-organized itinerary is a stress-free itinerary (well, at least a stress-less itinerary). In travel, things can go wrong. That’s why it’s critical to get specific about the details and plan for the things that are in your control. TrovaTrip meticulously plans and structures each day on an itinerary, blending activities, free time, and room for spontaneous exploration. It's about keeping things flowing while leaving room for flexibility.
6. Itineraries can’t plan for human connection
We're all for extraordinary experiences, but let's be real—the best travel magic happens when you have time to connect with other people. At TrovaTrip, we make sure not to overload itinerary schedules, leaving enough downtime for you to connect, relax, and soak in the adventure with your fellow group members.
We hope that this step-by-step guide to designing and planning a great trip itinerary is helpful, but if you’d rather leave things up to the experts here’s a bit more on TrovaTrip's unique approach.
Curious about what sets TrovaTrip and our itineraries apart? Here's the lowdown
Trip Design team
We've got an entire squad of Trip Designers. Feel free to think of them as the behind-the-scenes ‘design elves'–passionate experts who know the ins and outs of various destinations. They're the magic behind the curtain, curating activities and experiences that go beyond the usual, making every trip extraordinary. You can learn all about how they vet Trip Operators and build life-changing experiences here.
Safety, security, and an itinerary you can trust
Every itinerary starts with our Trip Operators—these are the on-the-ground experts who give our Hosts and Travelers the most authentic experience possible when visiting a new place. Every new Trip Operator goes through a rigorous, formal review process, looking at things like incident management, sustainability practice, and local impact processes to ensure that safety and quality are on par with the trips our community expects.
Group travel and hotels
This is a critical (often unknown) piece of information for anyone planning a group trip or a group travel itinerary: booking accommodations is far more complicated for groups than for individual travelers. There are a number of reasons:
- Not every hotel can accommodate a large block of rooms—these things vary from country to country but in some places, boutique and smaller hotels are the norm.
- Few hotels can offer similar accommodations among groups. Imagine you book 10 rooms at a hotel in a foreign country for you and your friends, and when you show up at the hotel you discover that every single friend has a completely different-sized room—if folks didn’t know this in advance, they may be frustrated that some folks are in luxurious doubles with big bathrooms, while others are relegated to the shared bathroom in the hallway. In historic locations, many hotels have been built over time or converted from old homes, inns, and other shared living spaces.
- If a hotel doesn’t know you/your group and trust that you won’t cancel, they may not accommodate your large party until very close to the trip itself. It’s just protecting their business, and it’s nothing personal. In fact, many hotels require a full payment and final confirmation to hold spots.
And we all know that where you rest during your travels matters! TrovaTrip takes care of the accommodations to try and give your group the most uniform shared experience.
Themed itineraries for every community
TrovaTrip offers a range of planned itineraries to match our Host and Traveler’s interests, whether it's heart-pounding adventure, culinary delights, or deep dives into local culture. We find that this helps support our Hosts and their community to get the most out of their time together. Not only are they seeing the best sights a place has to offer, they’re doing it with like-minded individuals who tend to become fast friends.
Itinerary tiers
TrovaTrip offers tiers for our Hosts because one size doesn't fit all. From essential highlights to exclusive experiences, you can choose the tier that fits your crew, giving you the flexibility to find the journey that fits you best while setting you up for success.
Why choose TrovaTrip?
In short, with Trova you can cut the hassle and keep the fun. TrovaTrip is your one-stop shop for stress-free group travel since we handle all of the itinerary planning and logistics to bring incredible group trips to life. For Creators and community leaders looking to take relationships offline (and out into the world), you’ll start with Trova’s built-in audience insight tools—surveying your community, to ensure the itinerary matches their interests. From there, we've got the details covered. TrovaTrip handles the logistics, so Hosts can focus on connections and memories. From transport to activities, we've got it sorted for a seamless adventure.
Making a TrovaTrip itinerary is a blend of planning, local know-how, and understanding what makes your community happy. Choose TrovaTrip for a stress-free journey, confident that each step has been carefully curated for a life-changing experience.