When Bilbo Baggins of “The Hobbit” received a knock at his door one evening, he never expected his encounter with a group of shaggy-bearded dwarves would lead him on an unexpected journey in search of a mystical ring. Before the individuals arrived at his doorstep, he was expecting just another quiet evening at home. But now his course was set, and his subsequent journey was one fraught with ups and downs, mishaps, and danger.
Thankfully, group tours aren’t faced with such a broad sweep of trials, but sometimes the unexpected does happen—a member of a group falls or trips, a client is injured during an outdoor activity, their luggage gets lost. What should group leaders do if any of these occurrences were to take place during a tour?
These are never pleasant things to think about, but what is even more unpleasant is having an accident happen on a trip when the group leader is unprepared. Can anyone be truly prepared for the unexpected? Probably not. But on the flipside, confidence is a key component when making trips safe and happy ones—and confidence comes with proper planning above all else.
Tillie Youngs, sales manager with 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, says as a DMO the organization sometimes works with travel planners and operators as they prepare their trips. “It depends on the destination and the activities involved,” she explains. “Most will suggest dressing appropriately and wearing comfortable shoes to enjoy their outing. However, if a destination is promoting participation in an activity that requires anything specific, that will be discussed with the tour planner in advance. For instance, if the tour involves hiking in rough terrain, the destination or facility staff will alert the planner that this hike is more extreme than most and to take the ability of their clients into consideration and let them know if hiking gear is required.”
Youngs says the safety of Thousand Islands group visitors is extremely important and notes that many group activities involve boarding tour boats and visiting historic sites. “Our boat tour companies have staff to assist everyone on and off the vessels to reduce any risks and conduct a safety briefing on board to ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience,” she explains. “Our historic sites do all they can do to improve walkways for safe viewing while keeping the historical integrity of the facility intact. Planners can assist by encouraging their clients to comply with all safety instructions and be mindful of any safety signage on site. Accidents are preventable if everyone works together.”
Colorado-based Globus, which has been in business for nearly a century, is confident in its services, including keeping clients and their belongings safe. “It’s a big world out there with dizzying options for sightseeing, transportation, and accommodations,” says Steve Born, chief marketing officer for the Globus family of brands. “Travelers needn’t spend hours trying to figure it out when we’ve spent 95 years perfecting the dream vacation.”
Thankfully, he says, accidents don’t happen too often on a Globus tour, but his team is on their toes in the unlikely event something were to go wrong. “Accidents are just not a regular occurrence on a Globus tour,” Born explains. “That is likely due to the diligence of our tour directors. They look for possible issues—from steps to cobblestones to low ceilings and doorways—and share those possible obstacles with guests so they are aware of what they will experience before they step off their luxury coach.”
While preparing for the unexpected, he says it is important for group leaders to choose a travel partner. “As in life where most accidents occur over the small things, this can be the case when traveling,” Born says, noting the benefit of tapping a travel partner like Globus is “to help clients navigate the small things in order to enjoy the big things. That goes from safety precautions and protocols to on-trip support by tour directors and support staff to help guests if any issues arise.”
Members of some travel groups might not have physically detrimental experiences but mentally challenging ones, such as being annoyed by another member of the group. Not everyone may get along. Perhaps someone talks too much, causes interruptions, or wanders off. The benefit groups have, however, is that their itineraries attract people with at least some of the same interests, thus lessening the possibility of conflict. Still, if ever personalities were to clash on a group tour, it is important for group leaders to listen and have open-ended conversations or discreet discussions if needed. Overall, it’s important for planners and operators to set realistic expectations, make sure people understand policies, and ensure members know itinerary schedules. Finally—and perhaps most important of all—learn from past experiences, both the good and the bad, when planning the next tour.
How about if a client loses an item on a tour? Born says his organization goes to great lengths to help that client. “Globus tour directors know the ins and outs of travel and help guests navigate their needs—when things go right and when things go wrong,” he says. “Our Globus tour directors have years and years of experience helping guests solve any—and every—problem that could happen when exploring the world. Lost items like luggage are, unfortunately, a relatively regular occurrence. When luggage is lost, our teams work tirelessly, contacting airports and airlines to track and resolve the issue for our guests so they can continue to experience their vacation with as little interruption as possible.”
Youngs, of 1000 Islands, says since “most of our group travelers arrive via motorcoach, there is less chance of lost luggage as say those that travel to a destination via air.”
In the broad sweep of planning and conducting a group tour, she says group members’ safety should be paramount. Planners and operators should make sure they’re ready for any unexpected challenges that may arise, especially when it comes to first-aid.
“Basic first-aid training when dealing with the traveling public is a must,” she says, noting leaders should ask pertinent questions such as where the on-site first-aid kit is located, including automated external defibrillators for heart patients, and gather information about emergency services, et al. “Research where the closest hospital is. Ask clients to report any health issues or allergies to be aware of. Again, encouraging clients to comply with safety instructions is important to keeping everyone safe to enjoy their tour.”
By Andrew Weeks
Main Image Credit: Adobe/JuYochi
