As many of you know, traveling can be expensive, and in New York, you will be spending a nice chunk of change to enjoy the luxuries of this magnificent city. Planning a year in advance is a great way to be smart and proactive, whether you’re traveling to New York, and a more budget-friendly location.
How many times have you or your friends planned a trip, and everybody is all in for going? Everyone is giving suggestions of going to see the Statue of Liberty, taking selfies in Times Square, or finding the best pizza spots in the city… Next thing you know, the closer it gets to time to actually go on the trip, people start pulling out, saying that they can’t make it, or that they no longer can afford it.
Whether you’re trying to get a head count for a family reunion, church trip, or wedding, getting those kinds of phone calls can be very frustrating, especially for the person who planned the trip, because there is a lot of time and hard work that goes into planning a group trip. Sometimes, the rates you were able to receive for this particular trip was because it was because of the number of people attending.
A lot of times it’s much cheaper to pay for a trip when a lot of people are going, but if that number drops below a certain point, you won’t be eligible for that group rate anymore, and the price will go back up to regular price. So when planning a group trip, financially, it’s best to plan it at least a year out in advance. Take a look at what to consider financially when trying to plan a big group trip to New York.
Cost of Hotel/Resort
Most hotels and resorts in New York have group rates available for several different occasions and will be able to accommodate such a large party at a discounted rate.
In order to be considered for a group rate at a hotel or resort, the group must book five or more rooms. Group rates not only benefit the traveler, but it also benefits that particular hotel/resort as well. You see, the group will get to reap the benefits of all the amenities the hotel/resort has to offer, at a discounted rate, and the hotel can reap the benefits of your group staying there, by way of a guaranteed contribution to their capacity.
Cost of Transportation
Transportation is also something that needs to be factored into the cost of the group trip. For such a large group, you’ll want to consider the all of your options for larger groups for your transportation needs. For groups as large as yours, you usually find it cheaper to rent a bus, versus trying to rent multiple cars, plus, renting a bus will keep everyone together.
Cost of Entertainment/Attractions
Some of the attractions in New York can be costly, and some can be free, but they’re also places you don’t want to miss out on during your visit. These can’t-miss attractions are all the more reason to plan for this trip well in advance.
Visiting these attractions isn’t necessarily something that everyone has to do as a group. There might be something one group of people want to do, but the other groups want to do something completely different, and that’s fine. You will just have to individually make sure you have the finances to cover the things you want to do on your own.
Cost of Food
Food is another individual thing to consider for your own personal budget. Sometimes the hotel or resort you’re staying at has food accommodations included in your package, it just depends on where you’re staying. Anything outside of your hotel/resort, you will have to cover with your own personal funds, so it’s always good to plan to have a little extra spending money just in case you have to spend more than expected.